A while back, I wrote on the topic of grants and wanted to follow up with a significant grant award for radio equipment that we recently received. First, I want to provide some background for clarity.
Kewaunee County, like every other county, maintains a public safety radio system. These systems allow our first responders to communicate on a daily basis while responding to the various calls for service received through our Dispatch Center.
Throughout Wisconsin, many of these systems are local and supported through local budgets for their operation, maintenance, and periodic replacement. As you can imagine, this infrastructure comes with significant costs. In 2009, the State of Wisconsin began building a statewide radio system known as WISCOM. This system was primarily developed to improve interoperability—that is, to allow agencies throughout the state to communicate with one another.
While this may seem like common sense, many local systems across the state could not communicate with each other because they operated on disparate platforms. One example is the different frequency bands utilized by individual counties based on their specific needs. A rural area may be better served by a VHF frequency band because it provides broader coverage, while an urban community may be better served by an 800 MHz frequency because it offers better coverage within high-density buildings. Long story short, as a state, we needed to move closer toward interoperability.
During this period, Kewaunee County made the decision to partner with the state because our radio system at the time was nearing the end of its useful life. We recognized the benefits of partnering with the state through shared resources and system support. Through that relationship, we were able to build a system that supported local communications while also providing access to statewide communication resources. This partnership also positioned us to receive financial support for the system buildout. At the time, we were able to equip all emergency responder agencies throughout the county with radio equipment through grants for which we qualified as a Daily Use Community.
Fast forward to 2026. The state is currently building the next generation of the statewide system, and our participation in that system has once again afforded us a unique opportunity for equipment acquisition support. While this update may seem premature, it is important to recognize that in the world of technology, 15 years is well beyond the typical life expectancy of critical communications equipment.
To better prepare for this upcoming transition, I pursued grants available to Daily Use Communities. In 2025, we were awarded approximately $324,000 to outfit several of our local agencies. In early 2026, I submitted an additional grant application, and another $1.8 million was awarded just this past week. Between these two grants, we are able to support all law enforcement, fire, EMS, and other first responder agencies, along with our Highway Department and Emergency Management Department, in acquiring new radios that will carry us through the next decade.
These grants require an 80/20 cost share, meaning local agencies are responsible for only 20 percent of the costs. In addition, the state secured a 60 percent rebate on radios purchased through these grant programs. While local agencies will remain responsible for the maintenance and eventual replacement of the radios, the county benefits significantly because the state has committed to the buildout and maintenance of the new system. To say this is significant would be an understatement, as replacing the entire system independently would cost well into the millions of dollars.
This is a great example of local and state collaboration in the pursuit of shared resources, resulting in substantial cost savings for taxpayers.
I would like to thank the Wisconsin Department of Emergency Communications for its continued support, as well as our local agencies for their willingness to provide the equipment data needed to submit these grant applications in a timely manner.
