The Jupiter Community Center at the Town of Jupiter Municipal Complex, 210 Military Trail. Photo: Jupiter Tide.
By Jupiter Tide Staff
JUPITER — The radios Jupiter police officers and firefighters use every day are 15 years old, and the town says the technology is obsolete. On Tuesday, Nov. 17, the Town Council will be asked to spend about $5.9 million to replace them.
The agenda for the 7 p.m. meeting, posted on the town's meeting portal, also asks the council to approve the borrowing that pays for Jupiter's new fire stations, and to rule on a Walmart warehouse for online orders.
New radios for police and fire
Jupiter shares its public safety radio system with Palm Beach Gardens, Tequesta, Juno Beach, North Palm Beach, Jupiter Inlet Colony and Atlantis through the Municipal Public Safety Communications Consortium. The current system went live in 2011, according to the staff memo in the meeting packet. Staff says it must be replaced with a newer digital standard (P25 Phase II) that adds cellular and Wi-Fi capabilities and improves coverage.
The two purchase orders before the council:
$3,458,019 for Jupiter's share of the new shared system, including towers, antennas, dispatch upgrades and switching off the old system. The full project costs about $10.4 million. Jupiter's share is 33.2% because it runs about a third of the radios on the system.
$2,490,276 for new handheld and vehicle radios for the police and fire rescue departments.
The town has been saving for the project since fiscal year 2021 and had about $4.2 million set aside as of Oct. 1, the memo says. Money planned for fiscal 2028 would cover the rest. Staff says the total comes in about $200,000 under budget.
Up to $22.5 million in fire station bonds
Jupiter started running its own fire rescue department on Oct. 1. To pay for the new stations at Piatt Place and in Cinquez Park, plus renovations at Fire Station 11, the town has used short-term borrowing. The council will vote on a resolution allowing up to $22.5 million in 15-year bonds to replace it.
According to the staff memo, the money would go to:
$18 million to pay off the short-term debt used to build the stations
about $1.6 million for final payments on the stations
about $2.4 million for Station 11 renovations
$500,000 for the cost of selling the bonds
The bonds would be repaid from non-property-tax revenue and do not pledge the town's taxing power, the memo says. The town manager could award the sale only if the interest cost stays at or below 5.25%.
Also on the agenda
Walmart warehouse: Walmart wants to use an existing building at 1830 Park Lane S. in the Jupiter Park of Commerce for a 17,300-square-foot warehouse and 2,700 square feet of offices to fill online orders. The building would not be open to shoppers. Walmart's application says it would run from 6 a.m. to 11 p.m., handle up to 1,000 orders a day and employ 15 to 20 people across shifts. The Planning and Zoning Commission recommended approval 6-0 on Oct. 13.
Police drones: a $150,000 state grant from the Florida Department of Law Enforcement for "drone as a first responder" equipment. The town must match it with up to $150,000. Staff says it will come back to the council before buying anything.
Palmwood Road annexation: first reading on bringing a 1.47-acre lot at the northwest corner of Frederick Small and Palmwood roads into the town as single-family residential. The Planning and Zoning Commission recommended denial of the annexation and land-use change, both 4-2, after nearby residents objected. A second reading is set for Dec. 15.
The Corner House: a public hearing on historic designation for the circa-1931 house at 358 Center Street. Our earlier story has the background.
Drainage grants: state environmental grants of up to $100,000 for A1A beachfront drainage, $241,794 for the Seminole Basin and $169,100 for Alma's Place.
Earlier that day, at 10 a.m., the town will hold a Town Council Memorial Dedication Ceremony at the Municipal Complex. Council members may attend, according to a notice from the town clerk.
How to take part
The meeting starts at 7 p.m. Tuesday, Nov. 17, in Council Chambers, 210 Military Trail. To speak, fill out a comment card; speakers get three minutes. The meeting streams live at jupiter.fl.us/Live. The agenda and the full packet are on the town's meeting portal.
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Sources
Town of Jupiter, Town Council agenda, Nov. 17, 2026 (CivicClerk fileId 2160): agenda PDF
Town Council agenda packet, Nov. 17, 2026 (fileId 2161, 1,227 pages): meeting packet
Town News Flash, "Event Announcement – Town Council Memorial Dedication Ceremony," Nov. 10, 2026: jupiter.fl.us/CivicAlerts.aspx?aid=8905