In Hope Mills commissioners’ last meeting of 2024, the board moved to enter into a $500,000 five-year contract with telecommunications company Motorola to provide upgraded radios to the town’s fire department.
Mayor Pro Tem Dr. Kenjuana McCray was at home recovering from surgery but joined the board by phone and webcast. Commissioner Bryan Marley joined the council later in the evening but was not present at the meeting’s start due to work obligations. Mayor Jessie Bellflowers, along with Commissioners Joanne Scarola, Jerry Legge and Elyse Craver, were present, providing enough members for a quorum.
In a unanimous vote, the board approved the $500,000 budget amendment and authorized the town manager to execute a loan agreement with Motorola to provide the department radios.
Before the vote, commissioners heard from the town’s fire chief, Matthew Cain.
“This is something we’ve needed for a while,” Cain told the board. “We’ve had issues with our radios for several years. The Kenwoods we have now don’t communicate with some of the Motorolas we still have in service.”
He explained that the fire department recently experienced issues on calls, but the disparity was especially evident when their firefighters were on a training exercise at Fayetteville Technical Community College and had to borrow the school’s radios to complete the training.
“To me, that was embarrassing, but it’s also a life-saving issue. If something goes wrong during a call and they’re calling for help, we need to be able to hear them and respond quickly,” Cain said. “If not, bad things can happen.”
Bellflowers agreed, telling the board that communication technology has evolved, and keeping up with technology is essential for responders. He also noted that the radios the town is using were purchased years ago and are now outdated.
“There’s a reason why everybody in Cumberland County has Motorola radios except Hope Mills. It’s about quality. You get what you pay for,” Bellflowers explained. “This is about preventing the loss of property and life. Radios must be able to communicate with each other and with other departments. I know this comes with a price tag, but what’s the cost of losing property or lives?”
The proposed lease agreement with Motorola would be $500,000 for five years, with an interest rate of 5.28%. The total cost over the term would amount to $585,776.27.
The town’s finance director, Drew Holland, also addressed the board, proposing the allocation of $85,776.24 as a one-time down payment to Motorola to secure the radios. Holland said a down payment was needed so the radios could be in the hands of personnel by spring, but it wasn’t in the town’s current budget. Holland also said the price of the radios is rising, meaning the current price would likely not be available in the spring.
The down payment is due in the first week of July 2025, with the annual debt payments beginning in January 2026, at which point the town will incorporate the cost of the radios into the new budget.
The council also heard a presentation from Chris Day, the town’s planner, on a proposed amendment with updated language to the town’s ordinance codes. According to Town Manager Chancer McLaughlin, the new language would provide the town with more authority to enforce the existing codes. The council voted and passed the new amendments unanimously.
The council also voted to approve the town manager’s acceptance of a proposal from Ashley Anderson of Sands Anderson Law Firm to develop a comprehensive strategic plan for the town. Town staff said they expect a first draft of the plan around May 1.
Bellflowers, on behalf of the town, also swore in three new Hope Mills police officers: Jarvis James, Marisol Kozain and Steven Kelly.
The board will hold its next regular meeting on Jan. 6, 2025, at Hope Mills Town Hall.
