The Wakulla Sun 11-17-22

$11 million

Triumph to pay for county radio system

EMS Chief Marvin Walters, Public Safety Director & Fire Chief Louis Lamarche, County Commissioner Ralph Thomas, County Administrator David Edwards, County Commissioner Quincee Messersmith, Emergency Management Director Jennifer Nagy, Intergovernmental Affairs Director Michelle Metcalf, state Sen. Loranne Ausley’s Legislative Assistant Tracy Williamson, county Public Information Officer Kinsey Miller, and Triumph Board Member Leslie Weiss.

SPECIAL TO THE SUN

On November 3, 2022, the Triumph Gulf Coast Board of Directors at their meeting in Destin voted to initiate negotiations for the Wakulla County Board of County Commissioner’s grant proposal to purchase and build a new county-wide emergency communications system.

The proposal, presented to Triumph by County Commissioner Ralph Thomas, requested grant funding of up to $11 million for the project with a county capital contribution of $1 million.

Triumph Gulf Coast is a nonprofit corporation that administers funds recovered for economic damages from the 2010 Deepwater Horizon oil spill. The Board administers the allocation of funds for the recovery, diversification, and enhancement of the eight Northwest Florida counties disproportionally impacted by the oil spill, including Wakulla.

“The funding for this emergency communications system is imperative to the continued safety of our citizens and efficiency of our emergency response and public safety agencies,” said County Administrator David Edwards. “The new system will increase coverage throughout Wakulla and enhance our communication capability with federal, state, and local public safety and first responder agencies.”

The current microwave-based system was installed in 2001 and has slowly deteriorated and become incompatible with those used by partnering public safety agencies. The county began pursuing funding for the project in 2015.

“I would like to thank Triumph Board Member Leslie Weiss for advocating for the safety of our citizens,” said County Commission Chair Quincee Messersmith. “I would also like to thank all of the county officials and state representatives who attended the meeting in support of our proposal.”