Butler County officials may decide this year how to address pending emergency services needs.

Consultant Brian Bark of Mission Critical Partners told the county commissioners during an informational meeting Friday they should do an extensive review of their options.

The county must replace radio equipment at the 911 dispatch center that will no longer be supported after 2018 and it must acquire new radio frequencies due to the federal government taking away nationwide the bandwidth called the T-band spectrum.

Bark said if the county commissioners approve a study of the available options, they would have a better idea on the feasibility of each.

According to a rough cost estimate by Mission Critical, the county could spend up to $14.4 million to buy new frequencies, replace county radio equipment and buy new radio equipment for municipal emergency services, including volunteer fire departments, necessitated by the county’s change.

Of the $14.4 million estimated for the costliest option, $4.5 million covers the needs of municipal departments.