Ok, so even if I wanted to get a business band could I still use it for a small area? Like maybe say 10 or 20 square miles? I'm dreading it but I guess i'm running out of options to get a no headache solution.
For such a small area, you could go it alone and save some money but that will depend on some things. First of all, that's only about 3.33x3.33 miles to 4x5 miles. Paying for citywide coverage would be easier but it may not be necessary.
The simplest type of setup is a base to mobile setup.
In this scenario, you have a base radio and the operator of that radio be a human repeater. Dispatching mobile units and rlelaying traffic between units. If the mobile units are close enough together, they can talk directly to one another, perhaps on a separate channel.
For example, let's say you have apartment complex on one end and an office building on the other end and the base station "dispatch", we'll call it , in the middle. The units at the apt complex can talk direct among themselves and the units at the office bldg can talk among themselves. If they need to call dispatch or dispatch needs to call them, they can, just by changing the channel.
So, repeaters may not be necessary, it depends on your needs and whether you have acceptable coverage without them at each property you have. A base station can cost well under a thousand dollars. Coordination typically costs less when you are just operating simplex, without a repeater.
I have seen it done this way with a security firm before, where they have some condo buildings. Their main office is in the middle and they had a repeater. If the units at any of the buildings need to call the main office, they switch channels and use that repeater.
If you want to explore that possibility I would suggest renting or borrowing some modern business radios and see if you have coverage at each property without using a repeater. Then see if you can talk from the properties to your central office, of course I have no idea if that's the way you want to set up but the moral of the story is it costs very little to try it first. You can always go the citywide route later.