Youngstown council authorizes purchase of microwave radio system

YOUNGSTOWN

City council authorized the board of control Wednesday to purchase a new police and fire radio system.

The new microwave system would cost about $1.7 million with about $200,000 more in interest paid over 10 years to Motorola – or about $190,000 annually.

Not only would the two departments get a new radio system, but it would be a financial savings for the city, police Chief Robin Lees said.

That’s because Youngstown is currently paying about $350,000 to $375,000 annually to AT&T for maintenance of copper lines used for the existing analog system and the cost keeps increasing, Lees said.

“We’re on a deteriorating system and we could realize a considerable savings by switching to a microwave system,” he said.

Read more about the plan in Thursday's Vindicator or on Vindy.com.