The Sangamon County Board will hold a special session Tuesday to vote on a proposal for a $13 million upgrade to the county’s emergency communications system.
The county’s current STARCOM 21 system was designed for radios mounted in first responder vehicles, not for portable handheld radios… and as a result, the system’s coverage is poor to non-existent in some parts of the county. Under the proposal, the county will build three additional towers that will expand and improve STARCOM coverage for portable radios, giving police, fire, and EMS reliable countywide service. The county will also then be able to lease space on those towers to Internet and cell phone providers to offset some of the cost.
The special meeting is set for 5pm Tuesday in the county board chambers.
