March 23, 2021 - Radio communication issues in Shelby County continue to be a point of discussion for the Shelby County Commissioners as was apparent in their Wednesday, March 17, 2021 meeting.
Two proposals were up for consideration by the commissioners, one that is meant to possibly return the Sheriff's Department radio system to 80% functionality, and the other to provide the volunteer fire departments with communications once again.
According to statements made by Sheriff Kevin Windham at a previous meeting, the radio communications for the Sheriff's Department are nominal and according to firemen at the recent meeting, are non-existent for them.
The proposal offered to the commissioners for the Sheriff's Department radio system during the March 10 meeting left the commissioners with more questions and doubts by the time the March 17 meeting came around. County Judge Allison Harbison was going to be seeking in-writing one promise of Texas Premier Communications they made in discussion; if the microwave antennas don't work, they would not be a cost to the county.
Installation of the antennas would still be the responsibility of the county at $10,000 to install them. At this time, the proposal doesn't give a cost for taking the antennas down, which would also be the responsibility of the county. If it costs $10,000 to install the antennas, will it cost the county the same amount to bring them down?
Commissioner Tom Bellmyer expressed a desire of the radio company to install the equipment and for the county to pay nothing until the system is proven to function.
"Install it, and if it works we'll pay the bill, if it doesn't work he can take it out," said Bellmyer. "Because, I didn't get a comfortable feeling last week when the presentation was, because I think it was Commissioner McSwain asked the question 'is this going to fix it?' and their was some hesitation whether it would really fix it or not, or correct the issues."
Several fire departments were present for the meeting and Bellmyer described how their presence meant radio communications for them is very important. He remarked the total sum for installing both systems would come to almost $207,000.
"If we're going to spend that kind of money, we as a collective group of citizens need to be assured that the system's going to work, because it's your tax dollars and my tax dollars that's paying for it," said Bellmyer.
By the end of the discussion over radio communications, several radio companies had been mentioned by name that do the same kind of work; however, no one was left with a clear indication that any other company could guarantee a functional product.
"Our debate is that this is an ongoing issue since I've been here, and it's frustrating to continue to throw money at something and it does not fix the problem," said Commissioner Roscoe McSwain.
Sheriff Windham agreed that it's frustrating and stressful especially when public servants are out in the community with no way to communicate.
"We had a great system before they went with the digital," said Mark Odom, Tenaha Volunteer Fire Chief. "It worked, we could talk from Nacogdoches, you could talk from Shreveport. Now you can't talk from Tenaha to Center."
Odom described the voter system that was in place at that time until it was taken down in the beginning of 2014.
"I just don't understand why now we got two separate systems that we spend money on and neither one of them work," said Odom.
With the way the fire departments are paged out now, as of October 28, 2020 when the new console was approved for installation, all fire departments are paged out on the fire channel and then they switch to their own channel for communication after that. Currently, they can't rely on the main fire channel for dispatch.
"That's why we need the analog up too because they're paging all seven departments out, six because Center does their own, but by paging all six of us out it's on the Shelby County Fire channel which is a mutual aid channel," said Jeremy Boyett, Joaquin Fire Department. "Everybody in here I think has their own channel they go to for fires."
Boyett described a scenario where all fire departments are needed at the same location, they would communicate on the one Shelby County Fire channel instead of on their own fire department channel, so they could better work together.
It was also determined there is another issue directly affecting the fire department radios. Tuffy Green, Timpson Fire Chief, asked Sheriff Windham if a tower on McSwain Hill has yet been fixed.
Green asked, "We talked about getting it, he said it was going to cost $6,000-$8,000 to fix, did he ever fix that one?"
"The mayor was with us from Timpson and said the city would help fix the tower, so I was wondering if it ever got fixed," said Green.
Sheriff Windham answered, "no" that tower had not been fixed.
"The one that I called you about Allison, about the antenna that you were going to find money for, did that ever get [fixed?]. Because, we're still dead in Joaquin," said Boyett.
Sheriff Windham reminded the court he had spoken with Tracy Rook, Texas Premier Communications, right after the ice storm and they were still waiting on that antenna at that time.
Judge Harbison said she would ask Rook when she talked to him. Boyett said the only dispatch they have in Joaquin at this time since January 25 is email, if the internet is working.
Projects much smaller, but not less important than the one proposed to the commissioners are potentially still waiting in line to be started.
"The fire department antenna went out and so they put it on the Probation Office," said Judge Harbison. "What they forgot to tell us was that it was 200 feet lower, so we voted several weeks ago, a month ago, to replace that antenna and it was ordered then, but we need to find out if it's been installed."
Yazoo Thomas, Huxley Fire Department, informed the court they have their own antenna and repeater on their water tower in Huxley. He asked how that ties into the system they are considering and Boyett stated it doesn't it's for the Huxley Volunteer Fire Department system only.
"It is a crying shame that 25 years ago we had better signal and better radio capabilities than we do now with all of the upgrades and technology and everything," said Judge Harbison.
Jerryl Adams, West Shelby County Volunteer Fire Chief, shared with the court the kind of public outcry fire department representatives receive.
"I know a lot of the fire chiefs and assistant chiefs, they're the ones they get a lot of slack from the public, they won't say anything to y'all, but they'll come to us," said Adams.
Judge Harbison explained she does hear from people in the community about the communications as well.
"I guess they think we're important or something," said Adams. "We're not anymore important than anybody else is, but they depend on us to make sure they're safe on fires and [roadway] accidents. That's been everybody's biggest problem lately, even more than fires."
Bellmyer shared with the court he has been in office for 27 months and radio communications were a point of discussion from the start.
"There has been one common theme that I have heard nearly every time that the fire chiefs have come and whatnot, 'it used to work until they took equipment down.' All of the equipment in all of these radios is county equipment and how it gets taken down without approval of the court, I would really like in the future that if county radio equipment gets manipulated it should be at the approval of the court. Not at the whim of someone that decides they want to move it," said Bellmyer.
All of the firemen present agreed with Judge Harbison the radios worked until the county switched to a digital radio system.
Judge Harbison asked Bellmyer to speak with Bobcat Communications and she said she would be in contact with Texas Premier Communications. Bellmyer invited representatives of the fire departments to all return when the commissioners discuss radio communications again on March 31.
"We've got to keep this dialogue going so we can get to a decision and move forward. So, I would invite everyone if they can get it in their agenda to come back in two weeks," said Bellmyer.
A motion carried by the commissioners to table agenda items 10 and 11.
Sheriff Windham updated the court on the most recent report from the Texas Commission on Jail Standards (TCJS) who informed the county the jail failed to comply with the minimum standards. The report was issued on March 4, 2021.
"What we're doing, we've got a class set up for this Monday, [March 22]. That was one of the things that was recommended that our corrections officers receive training on dispensing medication and that was where we had an issue with compliance," said Sheriff Windham.
According to the TCJS report it was determined medications are not being dispensed in accordance with written instructions from a physician. One inmate was prescribed two prescription medications daily and from February 25 to March 3 only received one pill daily. Another inmate was prescribed two tablets at bedtime and only one tablet was given from February 21 to March 2. The report states the Medication Administration Records were altered to show that two tablets were dispensed when according to the pill count only one was given daily from February 21 to February 26. Another inmate was prescribed one dose of a seizure medication in the morning and two doses of the same medication at night; however, according to the report the medication was only given to that inmate in the mornings from February 25 to March 3.
The TCJS report further states, "The issue of following written physicians orders was an area of technical assistance during the FY20 inspection. Follow-up action required - administration will conduct training with staff regarding dispensing medications in accordance with a physicians written order. Documentation of the training conducted and training rosters of staff attending will be scanned and emailed to the inspector within 30 days."
Required suicide prevention training for newly hired jail staff, and current staff has not been provided, according to the report. As a result jail administration is to provide the needed training to all staff in accordance with the agency's approved operational plan within 60 days.
A motion carried to accept the Texas Commission on Jail Standards report.
The commissioners were set to consider the replacement of the courthouse sign for a proposed $30,000; however, Judge Harbison explained the sign company has added the possibility of tearing down what remains of the current sign, and she needs to confirm if that will be at an additional cost. As a result she requested the commissioners table the item.
A motion carried to table the replacement of the courthouse sign.
America Montes addressed the court on making Private Road 800 into a County Road. In looking at the road, it was suggested by the commissioners to Montes there are 11 property owners on that roadway who would likely have to make dedications of property to allow for easements on their property for the roadway to be properly maintained.
The meeting was adjourned.
Agenda items approved during the meeting include: 1. Pay weekly expenses. 2. Current payroll. 3. Treasurer to advertise for RFP for County Bank Depository Contract. 4. Resolution Opposing SB 234/HB 749 Efforts to Silence County Officials. Presented by County Treasurer. 5. Record completed required Continuing Education hours for Shelby County Treasurer. 6. Recognize the report with Texas Commission on Jail Standards. 7. Adjourn. Agenda items tabled during the meeting include: 1. Replace the courthouse sign that was damaged during Hurricane Laura. 2. Upgrades on Sheriff’s radio system. 3. Upgrades on the VFD radio system.
