By John Kiesewetter
The Cincinnati Enquirer

HAMILTON - Butler County commissioners could ask voters for a 1-mill tax levy to build a $25 million countywide digital emergency radio system, after a friendly show of force Thursday by police and fire officials.

Twenty-one uniformed police and fire chiefs packed the commissioners' chambers, urging them to fund a nine-channel, 800 MHz system that would allow all police, fire and other emergency responders to speak with each other and to communicate better within their own departments.

Although all police and fire departments have mutual aid pacts, "we have old equipment that isn't designed to talk to each other," said Fairfield Police Chief Michael Dickey, president of the Butler County Police Chiefs Association.

Hamilton, Warren, Clermont and Montgomery counties have modern countywide 800 MHz systems. All Butler County authorities - except West Chester Township - use congested single-frequency radio systems installed decades ago.

Hamilton has not updated its radio system since Commission President Chuck Furmon was hired as a rookie patrolman in 1963. Furmon, who retired in 1993, said he couldn't call for police assistance many times because another Hamilton officer was using the frequency for another reason.

"It's like standing in line at a phone booth," Hamilton Police Chief Neil Ferdelman said. "It's God's grace we haven't had someone die" because of poor communications.

Commissioners Thursday said they would hire a consultant next month to make a recommendation for a countywide system. Earlier this month, the county committed $1.2 million in federal Homeland Security funds to activate Oxford's four unused 800 MHz frequencies, which the city was about to lose. Those channels would be combined with West Chester's five 800 MHz frequencies for the new digital countywide system, said West Chester Township Police Chief John Bruce.

Once the consultant's report is complete, commissioners must determine how to pay for a new radio system. Options include a new countywide property tax, sales tax revenues, federal grants, state capital improvement funds or user fees paid by each community, they said.

Furmon said commissioners have been told that a 1-mill, three-year property tax levy could pay for constructing the system. If they seek a tax levy, it would be specifically designated for the new communication system, and have an expiration date, Furmon said. A funding decision will be made before Aug. 19, the deadline for placing a tax levy on the Nov. 2 ballot, he said.

Commissioners asked the chiefs to help promote their radio needs, and promised they would participate in all radio upgrade decisions.

"It's going to take an all-out effort to get this done," Furmon said. "We want it done right. ... The folks in this room will have the final say as to what the (system) is going to be."

E-mail jkiesewetter@enquirer.com