Following permission last month by the Barry County Commission to seek bids to replace aging and non-operating mobile radios for an estimated $90,000, Barry County Undersheriff Matt Houchlei received three bids: Chrouch Communications, Inc, for $81,616.04; Tele-Rad Inc, for $87,276.86, and Roe-Comm, Inc. for $83,787. Tuesday, at the committee of the whole meeting, he recommended low bidder Chrouch Communications for the contract for 22 APX6500 Motorola mobile radios, accessories and activation fees.
The funding for the new radios will come from the diverted felon fund. The radios will be delivered a week after state approval of a template that Houchlei said he thinks contains details of frequencies the radios will be using. A plus is that the Chrouch representative is local and is easily reached with questions, he said
The equipment will replace radios in primary patrol cars, new vehicles, upgrade radios in existing cars in marine patrol and animal control and a detective’s car. An authorized Motorola Service station since 1953, Chrouch Communications serves more than 30 law enforcement agencies, including Barry Central Dispatch 9-1-1, Houchlei said.
In other business, the commission unanimously recommended approval of:
* a memorandum of understanding between the State of Michigan Department of Veterans Affairs and Barry County to share use of the VetraSpec data system software with the Barry County United Way Veterans Service Office. Pattrick Jansens, an accredited veterans service officer, said the software data system would be available every day for filing and following up on Barry County veterans claims for benefits instead of the current one day week. The program is funded by a 12-month state grant, with options for two more 12-month contracts, Jansens said.
* changing the county zoning map in Section 35 of Castleton Township from Agricultural (A) to Rural Residential (RR) to help promote potential development near the Village of Nashville.
Also, to rezone A-2-16 from Low Density Residential (LDR) to Rural Residential (RR) in Section 32 in Irving Township, which the township submitted on behalf of 20 property owners.
Planning Director Jim McManus said area was zoned LDR in 2008 with expected “explosive” residential growth which did not happen with the depression. With RR zoning, the residents would be able to have hobby farms or raise chickens if they chose.
The Barry County Planning Commission unanimously recommended both rezonings, he said.
* the annual grant application to the state Office of Community Corrections. The grant is the sole funding source of the OCC, Administrator Dawn Karfonta said. They are asking for the same amount as last year with the same programming. The application was due June 1, however, the OCC has been allowed to submit the application with a tentative commissioner's approval date, pending final approval of the request.
* the summer tax levy of 5.4176 to be billed July 1, presented by Equalization Director Tim Vandermark. There was a .9976 mill Headlee roll back this year, Vandermark said. Copies will be sent to all townships and City of Hastings so the correct amount is billed. A copy is also sent to the state in September.
