Discussion and possible action to ratify the authorization to submit a grant application for the Fiscal Year (FY) 2025 Supporting Border Crisis Response and Enforcement Projects to the Office of the Governor/Homeland Security Grants Division, in an amount up to $1,000,000.00, for the purpose of upgrading the current VHF P25 5-site Simulcast radio communications system. Further requesting authorization for the Webb County Judge to execute all relevant documents associated with this grant application and any other matters incident thereto. This grant does not require a cash match and will not impact the General Fund. All required documents have been submitted to the Economic Development Department and have been reviewed for compliance with the Single Point of Contact (SPOC) policy.  [Requested by Martin Cuellar, Webb County Sheriff; Grant]

Issue: Webb County’s current VHF P25 5-site simulcast radio communications system does not provide full coverage across the county’s 3,300+ square miles. In particular, the FM 1472/Mines Road area, an active zone for immigration enforcement and border security, suffers from poor radio communications due to its location between two existing tower sites. This gap hinders critical interoperability among multiple local, state and federal public safety agencies operating in the region.

Solution: A $1,000,000 grant would fund the addition of Motorola P25-compliant equipment to a new tower site in the FM 1472/Mines Road area.  The upgrade will integrate the site into the existing simulcast system, extending coverage and improving communication reliability. This investment enhances secure interoperable radio communications among agencies such as the Webb County Sheriff’s Office, DPS, Customs and Border Protection and others.

Result: If funded, the new tower site will close a critical communications gap in this high-priority border region. It will enable seamless interoperability among over a dozen local, state and federal public safety and emergency response agencies. This improvement will enhance response times, coordination and operational effectiveness for both routine public safety and large-scale border security operations. Additionally, this upgrade supports future expansion toward a hybrid VHF–7/800 MHz system to strengthen regional communications capabilities further.

The Office of the Governor (OOG), Public Safety Office (PSO) provides this funding to implement investments that build, sustain, and deliver the 32 core capabilities essential to achieving a secure and resilient state and support projects to prevent terrorism and targeted violence and prepare for the threats and hazards that pose the greatest risk to the security of Texas citizens.