(a) The commissioner shall establish a communication system as will best enable the department to carry out the purposes of this chapter. This shall include a radio set furnished, on written request, to the sheriff and state's attorney of each county on a memorandum receipt.

(b) The commissioner may charge to all users of telecommunications services managed, maintained or operated by the department for the benefit of the users a proportionate share of the actual cost of providing the services and products inclusive of administrative costs. Such charges shall be based on a pro rata allocation of the actual costs of services or products, determined in an equitable manner, which shall be representative of services provided to or system usage by individual units of government, including state, local and federal agencies or private nonprofit entities. Such charges shall be credited to the Vermont communication system special fund and shall be available to the department to offset the costs of providing the services. (Amended 1967, No. 48, § 1, eff. March 23, 1967; 1969, No. 266 (Adj. Sess.), § 3, eff. April 8, 1970; 1999, No. 49, § 162.)