The Gray County Commissioners Court approved the purchase of six radios through the ARPA (American Rescue Plan Act) during Monday’s Commissioner Court meeting.
“We’ve got new radios that came in for Hoover (Volunteer Fire Department),” County Judge Chris Porter said. “Those radios are able to reach out and receive better than the radios we have because of the technology.”
The radios are Kenwood brand and are around $1,500 per radio and includes the necessary accessories.
Commissioner Jeff Haley asked about the range of the radios and Gray County Emergency Management Director Troy Schwiegerath said it can reach from Pampa to McLean.
“Trent (Price, HVFD Chief) has had one standing in his front yard and can talk to McLean,” Schwiegerath said. “They’ll only get better as we work more with Resound.”
The radios take about six months to come in after ordering.
Also included in the item was a request for fuel reimbursement to Judge Porter as he has been responding to wildfires.
“It’s a reimbursement of up to 50 gallons of gas/month,” Porter said. “I’m hoping to get it to where I don’t have to respond to them as Troy takes over and responds to them (widfires). I went through 104 gallons of gas last month just in the fires I responded to. I’m not wanting 100 gallons, just 50.”
Porter added he would just submit a ticket for reimbursement to the County.
“If I don’t need it I won’t request it,” Porter said.
Commissioner Logan Hudson said this would be better than Porter stopping by a County Barn and fueling. Porter agreed.
“I just wouldn’t feel right fueling up and taking a resource,” Porter said. “The perception of that is horrible. It looks like I’m stealing gas.”
The Court did change the item and decide to keep the radios to come out of the ARPA funds and the fuel reimbursement to come out of the County budget.
