I'm really puzzled.
See, that county is fairly large in comparison to many of the other counties featured here in articles. Both in geographic size and in population. Unemployment is very low and there are a couple of major highways, one is an interstate going through the county.
So why is it that a county that has a lot going for it can make do with UHF (presumably conventional) while counties that are in real dire straights, many times smaller with hardly anyone living there find it imperative that they go to an 800mhz digital trunking system?
That county has managed with freakin low band for all this time. Now going to UHF, not 800. Although techically 800 is UHF but I'm assuming they're talking about 450. I think some kudos are due in this case pending all of the details. But it sounds like they have made a sound decision, not a wasteful, corrupt decision.