One of two new radio communications towers will be installed atop the Goose Rocks Beach Fire Department (above) as the town of Kennebunkport upgrades its radio communications. The second will be installed at the wastewater department. The project also includes upgraded radios. Courtesy photo

KENNEBUNKPORT – A longstanding issue with the radio system that serves police, fire and emergency medical services, public works and wastewater departments is poised to be remedied.

Selectmen here Jan. 27 approved a contract with two vendors to boost the signal strength with two new antennas and to supply new radios and associated equipment.

Two new 120-foot antenna towers – one at Goose Rocks Beach Fire Station and the wastewater treatment plant – will be installed. According to a joint memo from Fire Chief John Everett and Police Chief Craig Sanford, the new radio sites will transmit and receive signals through a microwave link at the water tower.  The project includes replacing all radios and related equipment in dispatch, all police, fire and emergency medical services, highway and wastewater vehicles.

Everett told the selectmen that since the town does not own the Goose Rocks Beach Fire Department building, it has entered a 20-year, $1 lease to install the town-owned tower on the building.

The municipal departments involved began discussing how to remedy signal problems in 2019, he said.

“We met to discuss issues with radios, lack of signal strength and out-of-date equipment that is no longer supported by the manufacturer,” he said. “As a group, we discussed a system that the whole town would be able to use.”

The town has been working with a representative of Motorola and with 2-Way Communications, of Newington, New Hampshire, and has previously worked with both companies.

Everett said the services of a third party were retained to analyze the design and costs of the proposal and whether it could be expanded in the future. The company, Envision Analysts of Manchester, New Hampshire, agreed that it would meet the need.

Under the proposal, Motorola will provide components and engineering for the VHF digital and analog system that police, fire and emergency medical services will use. 2-Way Communications and Motorola will provide the UHF digital mobile radio equipment for wastewater and highway departments, 2-Way Communications will install equipment in all vehicles and tower sites.

The town would use a $1 million bond approved by voters in 2021 and $500,000 from the capital reserve equipment to pay for the project. In all, about $1.1 million would go to Motorola for equipment and components, and $345,370 to 2-Way Communications.

Everett said once approved, the project would take nine to 10 months to complete, as long as there were no delays from the manufacturer.

“Having a third party look into this was an excellent idea,” said selectman Ed Hutchins.

Selectman Mike Weston asked if the town attorney had vetted the proposed contact.

“Yes, and they came back with questions and got answers,” said Everett. As a result, the payment schedule was changed to the town’s preference, and the warranty is to begin once the project is installed.

The contract calls for a municipal project manager, and Weston asked whether that would be accomplished in-house.

Everett said he and Sanford along with engineer Eric LaBelle, who would oversee technical aspects of the project, would act as project managers.

The vote to sign the contract was unanimous.