Tyler

By COSHANDRA DILLARD
Staff Writer

Smith County Emergency Services District No. 2 board members adopted the tax rate of 8.5 cents per $100 property valuation during a meeting Thursday night. The entity generated about $4.22 million in tax revenue with the same rate last year, but since property values in Smith County have increased, it will generate even more money.

Board members also adopted a budget of $4.187 million. They agreed to allot each fire department the amount of money they asked for, which ranged in figures up to $321,000 per department.

The need to switch from an analog radio system to a digital system took precedent during most of the meeting. Fire departments use analogue radios but, by 2009, that software and radio system will not be supported. Board members agreed to submit a letter of intent to Jeff Haislet, East Texas Medical Center's emergency service communications director, to switch to a digital system. The improved system would be shared by Smith County, the city of Tyler, ETMC and other agencies, Haislet said.

This comes after the board was notified by the Smith County Commissioners Court this week that the county will sever all budgetary ties with the county's volunteer fire departments. The county had provided some funding for the departments, including paying for liability insurance and dispatching.

Board members had a short notice to inform ETMC whether they would sign up for the switch, as the deadline is Sept. 26.

The ESD's cost for the system will be about $1.4 million over a 10-year period. That is about $179,000 per year, plus about $69,000 in annual maintenance costs. The ESD has 442 radios, and, as a part of ETMC's proposal, it would not have to absorb the costs of making those radios compatible with the digital system. Nextel is offering to buy all new radios for the firefighters to alleviate interference.

The first payment will not be due until October 2009 and it may take up to a year and a half to implement the new system, Haislet said.

Although there was some reluctance upon learning of the switch, board members, in correspondence with the county's fire department chiefs, agreed switching to the new system would be the best option.

"I have talked with every fire chief, with the exception of Noonday, and we're in agreement that this is probably the best way to go for the money," said Terry Rozell, Dixie Volunteer Fire Department chief. "We are not 100 percent sold on digital but we don't really have an option."

Rozell said he had been concerned with the quality of the digital system, stating he heard reports of outside noises interfering with radio communication; however, after researching, he said it occurred only in isolated cases.

"It will do what I feel like we need it to do. The chiefs have given their blessing to the system."

Rozell echoed what fire department heads and some board members felt.

Board member Sarah Maynard was concerned about the costs and asked other board members to consider an alternative.

"We are not happy about the money, but we don't have any other choice," Rozell said. "The radio communication is at the heart of fire departments. If you don't have communications, you don't have anything."

Haislet also noted that ETMC had already paid for the costs of designing, planning and consulting to get the system started. The ESD would incur those costs if it evaluated other options.

Most importantly, Haislet said, the digital system would keep the ESD compliant with state and federal regulations set by the Federal Communications Commission.

The P25 digital 700/800 mgH system, based in Harris County, would give access to about 35,000 square miles of the state, Haislet said. It fulfills the requirements of the Texas Public Safety Communications Plan. There will be seven towers in the county, with three simulcast sites in Tyler.

Board member Teresa Campbell said although no one is happy about the expense, it could save the ESD in the long run. Since departments are applying for more grants, Campbell said it was important for the ESD to do whatever was necessary to keep that type of revenue coming in.

"It's not just about communication," Campbell said. "It's about getting compliant with the state and federal government so that fire departments can apply for and receive grant funds. We can't risk that at this point."