East Oregonian 11/26/2009
Radio district gets closer to formation
By Samantha Bates The East Oregonian
The group seeking a unified radio district for Umatilla and Morrow Countys is taking another step toward its goal.
Umatilla County Board of Commissioners on Monday started the process to form the radio district by calling a public meeting. That meeting will be Dec. 28 at 10 a.m. in Room No. 114 in the Umatilla County Courthouse.
This starts the process to form the district, which will formally be called the Umatilla Morrow Radio and Data District. It is made up of both counties, but does not include the Umatilla Indian Reservation and Milton-Freewater. The district board will have five members elected at-large.
After the public meeting is complete, commissioners can officially form the district, said Doug Olsen, county attorney.
East Oregonian 09/22/2009
City opts out of emergency responder radio district
Other communities in county ready to join 450 megahertz system
Reporter: Samantha Bates
The Milton-Freewater City Council decided Sept. 14 not to join the 450 megahertz radio district being proposed for police, ambulances, fire departments and other emergency responders in Umatilla and Morrow Counties.
Milton-Freewater is the only city in Umatilla and Morrow Counties to opt out. Athena was originally against it, but later changed its mind and passed a resolution to join.
City Manager Linda Hall said Milton-Freewater often has more contact with College Place or Walla Walla when it comes to help with police, fire and paramedics. Hall said the city has also made numerous upgrades to its own system.
The city council was also concerned with costs of upgrade and operations and maintenance. In the end, they weren't convinced a 17-cent per $1,000 assessed value tax would cover it.
East Oregonian 08/26/2009
450 radio district still in the works
Reporter: Samantha Bates
Athena has reversed course and signed on to the proposed 450-megahertz radio taxing district, while the Echo Fire district voiced its opinion against it and Milton-Freewater is still deciding.
Emergency responders in Umatilla and Morrow counties have been working to gain support from every town to form the taxing district, which would continue to fund high-end radio systems installed by the Chemical Stockpile Emergency Preparedness Program and FEMA.
The tax rate proposed would be 17 cents per $1,000 valuation.
East Oregonian 08/05/2009
Radio system district gaining support
Some eastern cities remain unsure
By Samantha Bates
Emergency responders in Umatilla and Morrow counties have banded together to propose a ballot measure that would create a taxing district to support an enhanced radio system. Most of the work to build the district has been smooth, but there has been at least one speed bump.
The long-term goal is to keep the 450-megahertz radio system - installed in many areas by the Chemical Stockpile Emergency Preparedness Program with federal dollars - up and running after the closure of the Umatilla Chemical Depot in a year or two.
The radio system in the two counties enables emergency responders from any of the towns to communicate with one another.