Jacksonville City Council Approves $50,000 Upgrade for Outdoor Warning Siren Software

The Jacksonville City Council voted Monday night to upgrade the software that triggers the city's weather warning sirens. The council will spend $50,000 from the municipal budget to purchase the platform from GTSI, a Jacksonville-based vendor.

Emergency Services Director Phil McCarty told the council the software is overdue for replacement, putting its age at 12 to 15 years old. The upgrade addresses more than just aging code. McCarty noted the current system requires a human on-site to trigger it, while the new software can be activated remotely. The remote activation will also trigger alerts on cell phones. Despite the increased automation, McCarty said personnel will still be involved in overseeing operations.

GTSI, formally known as Global Technical Systems, is headquartered at 2270 W. Morton Ave. in Jacksonville and specializes in mission-critical communication solutions including mass notification systems. The company is one of the largest master distributors of Whelen warning products in the United States.

The siren software vote was one of several significant expenditures the council acted on during the March 23-24 meeting cycle. Aldermen also approved a summer street maintenance program, with Streets Superintendent Les Ballenger reporting the $300,000 allocation will cover roads in the area bordered by Lafayette, Main, and Sandusky, as well as streets in the Grants Meadow, Highlander Heights, Valley Vue, and Westwinds subdivisions. The council also hired Morthole Masonry to repair and restore four entrance pillars at Diamond Grove Cemetery for $42,000.

With tornado season approaching, the timing of the siren software upgrade carries practical weight for Morgan County residents. The shift to remote activation and integrated cell phone alerts represents a significant step beyond the city's aging manual system, closing a gap that McCarty had flagged as a priority for emergency preparedness.