Routt County commissioners approved the purchase of new radios and communications accessories for Routt County Emergency Communications and the Routt County Sheriff’s Office during a commissioner’s meeting on Tuesday.

The radios, coming from Motorola Solutions, will cost the county over $52,600, according to Routt County Purchasing Agent Julie Kennedy.

“Radios are like any other technology… After a while, they age, and the same thing happens with radios,” said Routt County Emergency Communications Manager James Cullen.

Both mobile vehicle radios and portable handheld radios last about 10 years before they need to be replaced, said Cullen. Routt County radios are currently about 10-15 years old.

The allotted budget for the new radios and communication accessories was about $68,100.

Cullen added that the county sets aside funds for technology purchases in advance, anticipating the need for replacements, which can lead to purchases being under budget.

The radios could arrive in Routt County anywhere between six months to a year-and-a-half due to Motorola Solutions’ supply and demand issues, said Cullen.

“When you bring us things that are under budget, it’s always easy to move forward,” said Routt County Commissioner Sonja Macys to Kennedy during the meeting. “Obviously, we want to support Jim and his team and the good work that they do.”