Vandewater gives radio upgrade project update, hires new deputy

Sheriff Jeff Vandewater gave an update on the county's radio communications upgrade to the Board of Supervisors last week and officials with Motorola Solutions, the vendor of the radioes, gave their take on a few updates that will need to be done to a local tower to make the upgrade viable.

Vandewater said that studies have shown several areas where the tower outside the sheriff's office needs upgrades or remediation.

Offsetting the $56,614.80 the tower remediation slightly is a credit the county will be getting of approximately $38,906 that is for the recording system used in the dispatch center. Instead of being paid for by the county, the system is being paid for by the 911 region, so the county is being credited that amount in the total cost of the project.

Officials involved in the process of evaluating the tower were present with Vandewater. There is one failed member on the tower that will need to be welded back together. There are also bent arms and some rust that needs to be tended to.

"That was part of that 5 to 10% in the cost that were contingencies, and that was probably the number one risk that would've been out there," said Matt Flynn with Motorola Solutions. "We would've liked it to be a little less than the $56,000, but there are other towers that have been $150 to $200,000 in just repairs to bring it up to where it should be or to bring it up to where it can handle additional equipment."

Flynn stated that remediation will take five to six weeks to complete.

New deputy hired

Vandewater also requested that current Stuart police officer Tyler DeFrancisco be hired as a new Adair County Sheriff Deputy. DeFrancisco began Dec. 1.

The sheriff department hired Joshua Armstrong earlier this year and Armstrong will complete the Iowa Law Enforcement Academy in mid-December.

Another new deputy, Michael Stofer, a former Story City police officer, began Nov. 11 here.

"Five's a lot better than three, which is where we were. [DeFrancisco] is already certified and we did all the testing and pre-employment drug screen quite awhile ago," Vandewater said. "We're getting to where we needed to be, it just took a little while."