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Posted: 2:17 PM Apr 20, 2009
Gilbert Speaks on VDOT Police Radios
Richmond, Va. Del. C. Todd Gilbert sent a letter Wednesday to VDOT Commissioner David S. Ekern asking him to respond to reports that VDOT is currently installing expensive State Police radio systems into hundreds of vehicles.
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3 Comments 
Del. C. Todd Gilbert (R-Woodstock) sent a letter Wednesday to Virginia Department of Transportation Commissioner David S. Ekern asking that he respond to reports that VDOT is currently installing expensive State Police radio systems into hundreds of their vehicles across the state.
Gilbert says, “VDOT is telling rural Virginia that there is no money to keep up with current levels of basic maintenance services. They even want to shut down rest areas near our economically important tourist attractions.
"At the same time, I am getting reports that they are wasting hundreds of thousands of precious tax dollars installing State Police radios in VDOT trucks. If this is true, I will demand that those who are responsible for this waste be held accountable for their actions.”
Latest Comments
This is a total waste of money VDOT does not need to buy $20,000 radios. They have 189 maintenance headquarters plus the Residencies, Districts, and Central Office. How many are they going to need? What a waste for something they will never use. Counldn't they provide the State Police dispatch with a much less expensive base unit that is compatible with their existing radios. I hear that these new radios are junk. I can't believe that that Mr. Ekern is laying employees off to purchase radios that they don't need.
Is Delegate Gilbert even aware that he voted FOR funds to equip VDOT and other State Agencies with this radio system with his "YEA" vote on House Bill 83 on January 21, 2006? The better question would be if Delegate Gilbert's plan for First Responder Interoperability using public cell phone were put into place, when the inevitable failure of the cell phone network occurs during the next accident, terrorist, or weather induced event and our First Responders could not communicate, would Delegate Gilbert stand up and take accountability for causing the failure to respond and possible loss of life? We know the answer to that, Gilbert would be first in line calling for the heads of State Agency leaders who "failed" to provide for an acceptable Emergency Response capability.
If Mr. Gilbert wants to demand "that those who are responsible for this waste (installation of SP radios) be held accountable for their action" that's all well and good. As a tax payer in this state, we should all demand of our legislators that they get off their collective rear-ends and get to work figuring out how to fund a transportation bill that will not only keep their precious rest areas open, but fund the necessary construction and maintenance projects that will continue to provide all Virginians the transportation network they've come to expect. What do you say Mr. Gilbert?
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