Whitcom upgrades get $500,000 advance loan

An emergency communications loan was passed at the Board of County Commissioners meeting Monday, Dec. 19. The loan, totaling $500,000, was passed to upgrade Whitcom systems.

“It's a loan for radio improvements,” Bill Tensfeld, emergency management director, said. “It will improve law and EMS communications, and it will be paid back in 2019 and 2020.”

Tensfeld told the Gazette the current system has been “piece mealed over the years as needs arise.”

“We have microwave radio equipment that's end of life,” he said.

Tensfeld explained that the microwave transmission goes from “mountain top to moun...