Pueblo among counties seeking funds to buy digital public safety radios.

By Jeff Tucker
The Pueblo Chieftain

PUEBLO, Colo. — The Pueblo County Board of Commissioners signed off on a preliminary grant application Tuesday to help pay for new radios for emergency response personnel.

Pueblo County will join with Custer, Fremont, Huerfano and Las Animas counties to apply for about $3.1 million from the Colorado Governor's Office of Homeland Security to help counties meet the federal mandate to switch public safety radio systems from analog to a digital truncated system.

The grant award will be shared by the five counties, as will a 20 percent local match, said Steve Douglas, the county's director of emergency management.

Douglas characterized the application as a housekeeping measure or a draft. There wasn't any detail about how the counties would divide the award, the radios or the matching cost, Douglas said.

"We'll bring a final application to you within the next 30 to 45 days," Douglas said. The application passed unanimously.

In other news, the county may try to work with the city on refining both entities' sign ordinances, particularly with regard to political signs.

Signs were a hot topic a few months ago when candidates began parking semitrailers at busy intersections without regard to requirements that political signs be keep off the streets until 90 days prior to an election.

According to both codes, semitrailers are also illegal because of their size, but until this year there has been no enforcement.

The subject was brought up Tuesday morning by Bob Jackson during a public comment session.

Jackson urged the county to consider a moratorium on new signs or enforcement of the code as it applies to political advertising until the city and county can be sure the existing codes don't infringe upon a candidate's First Amendment rights.

Jackson also said the county should consider updating its code to deal with LED and other illuminated signs.

The city just updated its code to address those types of signs.

Copyright 2008 The Pueblo Chieftain