Note the updates to the database tonight re Site 35. It's 15 channels now, with three alternate CCs, combining frequencies from site 31 and 35. Site 31 is showing up on site 35's neighbor list with a CC of 868.2125 (which is a voice channel for site 35) and it indicates site 31 is in failsoft mode.
Okay, I'll play the devil in this discussion. There are some advantages to being part of Palmetto 800 beyond state-wide roaming: no need to maintain agency specific equipment and transmission sites, redundancy of multiple site coverage plus conventional repeater coverage, less reliance on agency- or county-employed radio techs, access to plentiful channels (assuming adequate system capacity), interoperability with other agencies (more and more all the time), including NC down the road.
The obvious drawback is the cost of equipment (radios, consoles, bridges, etc) and the monthly fees. Grants help with some of that. But when one considers the cost of maintaining individual systems with limited capacity and agencies facing significant investment to adhere to narrowband requirements soon, Palmetto 800 isn't a bad deal for quite a few agencies.
I certainly see both sides of the discussion. From a scanninst's point of view (and that's really what's important, right?) every agencies being on Palmetto 800 is ideal.