In The forthcoming update to the county’s communication system will fill coverage gaps in Tomales and Stinson Beach, a principal civil engineer told the Board of Supervisors last week. The system is crucial for first responders and county agencies like the Inverness Public Utility District and the Bolinas Fire Protection District to connect and coordinate, so coverage gaps can leave communities without a way to relay information about emergencies or disasters. The engineer, Pat Echols, gave supervisors an update on the progress of the new system for the Marin Emergency Management Authority, or MERA, a joint powers authority with 25 member agencies. In 2014, county voters approved a parcel tax to raise $40 million for the updated system, MERA Next Gen. Recently, MERA’s governing board sent out a request for proposals for the new system, which are due July 22. During the presentation, Supervisor Steve Kinsey asked how MERA will address coverage gaps in West Marin and Tiburon, which he said is critical for emergencies and disasters. Mr. Echols said the authority will add antennas in Tomales, where the county is hammering out a lease agreement with a property owner and MALT, and Muir Beach, which should cover southern West Marin. Engineers also hope to site an antenna at a property in Tiburon, though that prospect seems shakier, and dependent on development decisions to be made in coming months. But county staff did not appear to have a plan B for covering Tiburon, which seriously concerned Mr. Kinsey.