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The two-year ARMER agreement was adopted by the County Board on a 4-1 vote last week with Commissioner Ben Montzka opposed.   He stated he couldn’t support the increase of $70 (from $30 to $100 and then in 2026 it becomes $125) in the surcharge for each radio.  County Administrator Chase Burnham said the county is only working in the fee hikes it has been assessed for state user charges and for membership in the MESB.

The new contract covers 2025 and 2026.  Townships which support fire and first responder ARMER participation and which may have township radios themselves for ease of communications, needed to have the new contract details finalized for the township budget setting annual meetings taking place March 12.  Township budget  levels are determined a year in advance.

The radio contracts cover users and subscribers. 

Only North Branch Police and the sheriff’s office are currently “subscribers” and subscribers also pay into a sinking fund for the county to handle radio purchasing and replacement.  This account is maintained if not needed and can be refunded if the contract is cancelled.

The “users” meanwhile, are agreeing to cover their own hard equipment costs.  

All radios have fees attached to cover costs of the county belonging to the Metro Emergency Services Board and the MN State Infrastructure Fee.

The Allied Radio Matrix for Emergency Response or ARMER system was organized in 2012-2013.  It is an 800 MHz trunked public safety system  that required an investment of $1.2 million locally through the sale of bonds, just to make system improvements. Borrowing was done in 2015 for erecting new towers in poor transmission regions and stocking new radio units with special capabilities.  The county has two employees who pretty much put in full-time hours on ARMER operations, maintenance and repairs.

ARMER covers 571 radios in Chisago County in total. At this time, the per radio cost is $203.18.  (Subscribers pay $518 with $315 dedicated to the sinking fund.)

The larger public safety departments obviously incur greater expenses.  Lakes Area Police have 36 radios and Lindstrom Fire alone has 33, with two other locales encompassing Center City Fire operations with 22 and Chisago City Fire at 26 radios. Wyoming Police and Fire have 59 radios.  Stacy-Lent Fire Dept. has 35,  but its law enforcement is provided by the county sheriff personnel, who are contracted on an hourly basis.  The county as a whole supports dozens of radios for the emergency communications services, public works/enterprise services and sheriff.

The annual payment for the debt taken out as General Obligation Bonds for the ARMER system needs is a half-million and it jumps to $1.4 million annually in 2027-2031 

In other business the County Highway 10 reconstruction project was awarded to Chisago City’s Peterson Companies. The bid was $10,.9 million.  High bid was $13 million.

The construction must commence May 2024 and be done before July 25, 2025.

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