The Lorain County Commission received permission by a court Dec. 20 to vote on the MARCS radio system which they approved 2-1 vote in a special afternoon meeting.
“We are proud to announce the construction of a countywide public safety communications network by adding more towers and interoperability for our public safety forces,” stated Commission President Dave Moore in a news release issued following the meeting. “Today is a victory for our taxpayers including our safety forces.”
The vote didn’t sit well with some Lorain County first responders.
“As the commissioners pat themselves on the back, they have totally ignored the county’s safety forces who are the ones using the radio system on the front lines while they enjoy the comfort of their office in their chairs, safe and sound,” said Lorain Police Department Chief James McCann, who also is vice president of the Lorain County Police Chief’s Association. “The county’s safety forces and citizens are not safer today and this is not a victory for the people.
“(The Lorain Police Department) already has the ability to communicate with the USCG (United States Coast Guard) and we have never in my 32-year career, needed to communicate with the ODOT (Ohio Department of Transportation), EPA (Environmental Protection Agency), NTSB (National Transportation Safety Board) or any other federal agency over the radio.”
Approximately 20 members of the safety service forces attended the meeting and requested to speak as there was no public comment section on the special meeting agenda notice.
Commissioner Michelle Hung made a motion to open the floor to questions and comments, however, she was shot down by Moore and Commissioner Jeff Riddell.
“Our safety forces in Lorain County have my highest respect,” Hung said in a news release after the meeting. “It must be difficult to be expected to find yourself the recipient of every demand and to be called upon in every crisis, to expect and provide mutual aide, be always and everywhere to do what needs to be done … only to have your needs, your requirements, your requests to have the most technological advanced communication system available to you to perform your duties for the residents of Lorain County, denied repeatedly.
“The police, fire and safety forces have undoubtedly gone over and above for the residents, and I applaud you all today.”
There is a really easy way for the public to digest the technology debate of phase 1 versus phase 2, Hung said.
“It is like comparing the technology we all enjoy on our smartphones today,” she said. “You can stream and down load your music playlist from Amazon or Spotify, or you can go back to the antiquated technology of buying your music on cassette tape and playing it on your battery powered boombox.
“The entire country is going to phase 2 technology. Phase 2 technology provides safe radio communications that is more efficient, more effective and better serves the needs of the first responders that protect you and your family,” Hung stated. “Today, my colleagues are paying full retail price, pressuring you, the taxpayer, to get in a end of year ‘cue’ and are shackling a $13 million dollar price tag to build towers that nobody wants to prop up an outdated, antiquated phase 1 system. This is bad, irresponsible government at its worst.”
The request for proposal was steered to Ohio MARCS out dated Phase 1 system while 33 agencies already have moved to or are in the process of moving to a more advanced Phase 2 radio system as defined in the first contract that they approved then canceled, McCann noted.
Lorain County Sheriff Phil Stammitti also was opposed to using the MARCS radio system since the idea was broached last year.
“As Sheriff of Lorain County these past 23 years, and a law enforcement officer for over 50 years, I want to go on the record as opposing the Lorain County Sheriff’s Office being forced onto the MARCS system that county officials have negotiated on their own, without any input from me as sheriff nor any of the Deputies who will use the radio system,” Stammitti said in a news release regarding the commission’s vote. “You have never explored any other system such as the L3 Harris system that we documented is superior to MARCS in Lorain County.”
Stammitti pointed out the commission could have contacted nearby Medina County Sheriff Terry Grice as well as Huron County Sheriff Todd Corbin for their views in the L3 Harris system.
“They both have the L3 Harris system and stated that it works great,” Stammitti added. “Mr. (Jeff) Armbruster, you have been pushing MARCS even before you came here as County Administrator. Seems odd that your police department in North Ridgeville is on the MARCS system, but your Fire Department and Chief knew enough about a radio system that he went to L3 Harris, much to your chagrin.
“The MARCS system might be good for state agencies that spend most of their time outside, but deputies, police and fire spend most of their time inside of homes and buildings, where the L3 Harris system is by far superior, as we have tested both portables. I would just as soon stay on our VHF Legacy system, than spend 14 million dollars of taxpayers’ monies on a system that I know is inferior.”
Not shocked
“We are definitely not shocked by the vote that took place as we all knew they were going to do what they wanted without listening to any input from the experts that use the radios,” said Adam Shaw, president of Lorain County Deputies Association, who also serves as a sheriff’s deputy for Stammitti. “Furthermore, none of the allegations Moore, Riddell and Armbruster have tossed around have been proved, but yet here they are doing the same thing.
“This whole thing smells funny, similar to the ‘Turnpike’ debacle in 2002, except that didn’t put lives at risk. We will continue to work with Sheriff Stammitti and the Lorain County Police and Fire Chief’s Associations to weigh out options.”
Approximately 20 safety service members attended a two-hour meeting with the county’s administration, consulting group and representatives of the radio companies Dec. 19 which was publicized on the commissioner’s YouTube channel Dec. 21.
During that meeting, many of the same safety service officials questioned the idea of choosing a system they insist they will not use.
Elyria Mayor Frank Whitfield addressed Armbruster asking, “Why would you keep pushing a solution if you have a whole group of folks with collective wisdom and knowledge saying they want something different?”
“Why do you keep pushing this?” Whitfield asked.
“There was never any pressure from the administration,” Armbruster responded which led to many heated exchanges throughout the contentious meeting.
The city of Elyria has spent $400,000 to purchase L3 Harris radios for its safety service members, but they cannot yet use them.
“We deserve to be hooked up without politics, without banging heads against the wall, to get what we want now,” Elyria Fire Department Chief Joseph Pronesti told the officials. “You can make that happen.
“I ask you, I’m begging you, to allow that, to don’t put things in our way.”
Moore and Riddell were unmoved by the passionate messages from each speaker as they persistently attended several meetings leading up to their final vote to explain that they would boycott the MARCS system.
“This bid came in at $27 million from Motorola and EF Johnson at $26 million,” Moore said. “The state of Ohio is also participating with Motorola by providing over $10 million worth of maintenance and system updates through 2044 with your state tax dollars.
“The actual cost over 20 years is $17,292,191 saving Lorain County over $10 million. We will have one of the most advanced system(s) in Ohio.
“In time of crisis, this system will allow our local safety forces to communicate seamlessly with each other and with the state and federal agencies such as U.S. Coastguard, Ohio Department of Transportation and Federal EPA, to name a few. This has been a goal of Homeland Security since Sept. 11, 2001.”
