Habersham County took a big step toward enhancing public safety on Tuesday as county leaders broke ground on a new public safety radio system.
Voters approved funding for the $9.65 million P25 system in 2021. Habersham County’s 1-cent Special Purpose Local Option Sales Tax will cover $7.2 million of the cost. The other $2.45 million will come from ARPA funds now in the county’s capital fund.
Tuesday’s event was mostly ceremonial; work has already begun on several radio tower sites.
Representatives from the county’s public safety agencies, as well as city partners, the school system, Northeast Georgia Health System, Piedmont University, Franklin County, and other potential partners attended the groundbreaking.
A symbolic groundbreaking
The ceremony began with the arrival of Air Methods’ Air Life Georgia 2 medical helicopter, which is based at the Habersham County Airport in Baldwin.
The medical helicopter served as a backdrop as officials discussed why the new radio system is critical to ensuring first responders’ safety and fast response times.
“The exciting part is this Project-25 Trunked Radio Network may expand beyond our county’s borders, connecting our responders with our neighbors and helping us move ahead with the least amount of financial impact for our respective taxpayers,” said Habersham County Commission Chair Ty Akins. “We have listened to all the cities, schools, and outside departments so that we could all work together.”
The county held the ceremony on the grounds of the Habersham County Recreation Department. The site was purely symbolic for ease of access. Crews are building the radio towers elsewhere. Following the brief ceremony, officials gathered for a photo op of them shoveling dirt.
Contractors expect to have the new radio system installed and operational by 2025.
