A $40,786.50 upgrade to the Attala County Sheriff’s Office radio system is slated for completion by mid-February, making communication more accessable in rural parts of Attala County.
“Right now we can have guys in the field and depending on where they are at in the county might not be able to communicate with dispatch by their portables,” Attala County Sheriff Tim Nail told the Attala County Supervisors during its meeting Monday morning. “They are in a very dangerous situation, being able to communicate with other officers is vital and not having the ability to do it puts my deputies at risk.”
The project approved by the supervisors is the first phase to upgrade the county on the new digital system, converting them from old analog radios. The purchase included 19 mobile radios, 18 handheld radios and one repeater.
“Right now we might have about 50 percent of the county assessable by radio, but these new digital radios should bring us up to around 80 percent or higher,” Nail added. “The only spot where I could see any problem is in areas that are very rural like McCool, so we might need to add a repeater in that area sometime soon.”
The motion passed by a 3-1 margin with supervisor Kerry Ellington voting against after a motion from him to table the matter for more research failed.In other action the supervisors got an update from 911-dispatch director Liz Peteet about the new procedure of receiving calls for the Sheriff’s Office when the office is closed. Perteet said dispatch has averaged 22 calls per day since the turnover, which was lower than expected. Pereet and Nail still urge citizens to call 911 in case of an emergency to get a faster response.
In other action taken, the supervisors:
• approved a purchase and buy-back program with Western Start Trucks for purchasing dump trucks;
• approved auction prices of $6,000 and $2,500 towards the sale of propane tanks at the former Jack Post Building;
• approved a revision to the county holiday schedule, giving non-emergency county employees the day off on Dec. 23;
• approved a commercial lease of Section-16 land to Irwin and Barbara Bell;
• approvied a copy machine lease for the youth court;
• approved a school bus turn-around for Marilyn Kelly.
The next scheduled meeting of the Attala County Supervisors will be Jan. 2.
