RISON - After an engaged debate by some of the justices of the peace on the topic, the Cleveland County Quorum Court took no action Monday night on making repairs to an analog radio repeater based in New Edinburg that is used for radio service by the county road department as well as the sheriff’s department.County Judge Jimmy Cummings brought up the issue during the quorum court’s regular monthly meeting Monday evening at the Hall-Morgan Veterans Building in Rison.Cummings told the quorum court that he had complaints from two sheriff’s deputies as well as some county road department workers about not being able to use their radios in certain areas where the signal is amplified by the repeater at New Edinburg.A repeater is an electronic device that receives and retransmits radio signals to extend the range of a radio system. According to Cummings and Justice Melody Spears, the repeater in question is an analog model that uses radio signals rather than digital signals like the newer radio systems.Cummings asked the quorum court for permission to spend money to have the repeater checked out. His recommendation was that the money come from the road department and sheriff’s department.Some of the justices were confused, recalling that the quorum had already a approved money for a repeater to be placed in the New Edinburg area last year. Justice Donnie Herring asked if the repeater was still under warranty.In April 2023, the quorum court voted to use $1,900 from federal COVID relief money to have a radio repeater placed at New Edinburg so local ham operators would be able to create a network allowing local first responders in the county to communicate with one another in the event of a widespread disaster or emergency situation.Cummings, however, explained that repeater is different from the one being used by the road department. Cummings and Spears both said the old analog radio repeater has been used for radio co...
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