The Cass County Board of Supervisors, Tuesday, received reports from County Emergency Management Coordinator Mike Kennon, and Interim County Engineer Charlie Marker. Kennon spoke about ISICS (pronounced “eye’six”), the Iowa Statewide Interoperable Communications System. The system is a 700/800 Mhz (mega-hertz) standards-based P-25 Phase 2 compliant trunked radio system for first responders throughout Iowa. The ISICS platform allows users to seamlessly roam and communicate throughout Iowa. The Iowa State Patrol is currently using the 700 mhz band, while Pottawattamie County has been using the 800 mhz band for several years.

According to Kennon, two radios on the ISICS 700 mhz frequency, were installed at the Communications Center. He said there will be a law enforcement talk group and a fire talk group which will allow those emergency personnel who were issued the radios. The system as it is now, will allow the County to see what coverage the radios will provide, and where the strength and weaknesses are)

The next step will be to determine how to address those weaknesses. Kennon said Montgomery County has three new communications towers erected and the equipment ready to be installed, but they aren’t expected to come on-line until sometime in March. Kennon said Cass County is in the process of buying additional dual-band radios (VHF/700 mhz). He said if the State Patrol has something going on, such as a pursuit, Cass County can switch on the 700 mhz system and work with them. Right now though, the County has mainly starting dipping its toes into the system, which allows the dispatchers to monitor State Patrol communications traffic.

Kennon says the State Patrol is “Quickly moving towards just going to the 700 side of broadcasting.” He said also, Shelby County is also on the “fast track” with their 700 band operations. Supervisor Steve Baier said he’s anxious to see how the new towers and communications system works out in Montgomery County, and how good the coverage is. The ISICS equipment is not cheap, but Kennon has applied for grants and other forms of cost sharing means to help pay for it.

In his report to the Board, Interim Cass County Engineer Charles Marker made a recommendation for a Motor Grader operator’s wage increase. That person has successfully completed their six-month probationary period of employment. He said also they are also working on some EWP [Emergency Watershed Protection] projects, the funds for which have been approved by the Iowa DNR. He said they have 220-days [or, by July 4, 2020], to complete the projects which are designed to protect culverts and dams by use of rip-rap and rocks.)

In other business, the Board approved a Class-C Beer Permit for the Griswold Dollar General Store, but tabled action on appointing a Brighton Township Clerk until the have a candidate for the position.