HAYDEN J EMRAH
WZBD.com
At the November Adams County Council meeting, the Town of Monroe received approval on an ARPA request to install a satellite dish on its fire department/town hall building, for use in improving emergency services and overall logistics for the town.
Monroe Marshal AJ Bertsch approached the council, showing the work that he, along with IT Director Mike Brown, have put into getting the proper specifications and methods for connecting Monroe’s police department with the rest of Adams County’s law enforcement dispatch.
The satellite and accompanying server, which is an estimated $8,000, will be used for establishing a stronger internet connection with the City of Decatur. This was part of resolution 2023-34, which was passed unanimously by the council.
The rural nature of the town limits its options for internet service that is both adequate and economical. This upgrade will allow the Town of Monroe to coordinate better with the rest of the county in the event of an emergency, as it allows Monroe to utilize the same dispatch software as Decatur.
Discussions for the matter were initially raised in Monroe’s township meeting in October, where it became apparent that the upgrades would help to strengthen coordination between Mornoe and Decatur law enforcement.
