VILLA PARK : City Joins Countywide Emergency Radio Pact

The city has joined others across the county in approving membership in a joint powers agreement for a countywide emergency radio system.

The City Council unanimously approved joining the system and authorized spending $50,000 as the city’s share of the countywide cost. City Manager Fred Maley said the city had been setting aside money for the project for about five years and has raised the total.

The new radio-communication system involves installing transmission equipment for emergency radios for police, fire and public works information. The system will cost more than $80 million, and each city in the county is being charged a proportional share. As the smallest city in the county, Villa Park is paying the least to join.

The joint powers agreement was formed as a financing and purchase method for the system after Orange County’s bankruptcy. The county is also participating in the network and will pay 28% of the overall cost. The participating cities will pay the remaining 72%.

Last year, Villa Park was the last city among those served by the old Orange County Fire Department to agree to join a countywide Joint Powers Authority to operate county fire services. City officials said they were suspicious of what they called “vague language” in the fire authority agreement.

The City Council, however, did not long debate the proposed joint powers arrangement for the new countywide radio system. The item was approved during the council’s meeting last week after only a few minutes of discussion.