Agenda Item Name:
Title
Presentation: Radio Management System
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Presenter:
Harold Theus, Chief 352-384-3101
Description:
Update the Board on the Radio Management System
Recommended Action:
Recommended Action
Provide direction on funding and direct staff to negotiate an agreement for the radio truck system with all applicable parties. The funding options are to borrow the funds against the sales tax or pursue an increase of one-half cent to the existing one-half cent to the infrastructure surtax for one year to pay for the entire capital system upgrade. If the Board selects the option of temporarily increasing the existing infrastructure surtax, then direct staff to publish notice of its intent to consider amending the existing infrastructure surtax ordinance (the WSPP Surtax Ordinance 16-06) at the Board’s meeting on April 28, 2020.
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Prior Board Motions:
March14, 2019, BoCC Special Budget Meeting, Commission directed the County Manager to review all the critical safety infrastructure needs in conjunction with the Sheriff and the City of Gainesville and bring back a proposed list that could potentially be used for a half cent sales tax referendum.
October 23, 2018, County Commission Commissioner Hutchinson moved to hear the presentation, discuss alternatives, and funding options. Also provide direction to staff. Federal Engineering recommends that the County continue operating on the current radio system managed by GRUCom, which is alternative 1 of 2 within the final report with the following changes:
1. Direct staff to return with some governance models they believe would be more functional.
2. Direct staff to return with Funding Options including tax initiatives and County debt.
3. Place this item on upcoming Joint City of Gainesville meeting.
4. Direct the County Attorney to work with the appropriate personnel to update County Ordinances to enable the building codes to provide operation of radios within building/structures.
5. Commissioner Chestnut, Commissioner Byerly, Commissioner Hutchinson, and Commissioner Byerly presented comments.
Commissioner Byerly exited at 10:28 a.m. due to obligations with the Canvasing Board.
Chair Pinkoson presented comments.The motion carried 3-0 with Commissioner Byerly out of the room.
October 10, 2017, County Commission approved the RFP ranking and
authorized staff to negotiate an agreement.
November 14, 2016, joint City/County Commission meeting, both commissions
authorized the Radio Management Board to obtain a radio system consultant.
December 7, 2015, joint City/County Commission meeting, both commissions
authorized the Radio Management Board (RMB) to hire a radio system
consultant.
Fiscal Consideration:
Fiscal Consideration
The estimated annual impact to the County for the entire system needs are increasing from $640,000 to $1,940,000.
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Background:
The Trunk Radio System (TRS) was established in 1999 to have all public safety agencies on the same radio system in an effort to have interoperable communications. The TRS provides radio communications services primarily to the general population core of the City of Gainesville and Alachua County. The existing radio system consist of 6 radio towers.
The TRS began to near obsolescence approximately five (5) years ago. GRUCom invested over $5 million dollars with Motorola in a capital infrastructure project in 2018/19 to substantially upgrade the current TRS at the six (6) existing communications tower sites. Unfortunately, even with these upgrades significant portions within the Alachua County boundaries (such as Archer, LaCrosse, Alachua, High Springs, and Micanopy) remain without consistently reliable radio communications. In response to this, the County has secured consulting services with Federal Engineering to evaluate the scope of the coverage issues, and provide conceptual design/procurement support guidance.
Federal Engineering is now at the final statement of requirement phase and is prepared to begin budgetary quote negotiations with Motorola. Preliminary costs for the increased coverage, additional resiliency and features are estimated at just under $8 million dollars.
Staff will be asking for Board direction on funding methodologies. Options include amending the County’s existing infrastructure surtax ordinance, Ordinance 16-06 (i.e., the WSPP Surtax Ordinance, attached), to temporarily increase the increase in the levy of the surtax from 0.5 percent to 1.0 percent for a one year period commencing January 1, 2021 and then decreasing back to 0.5 percent on January 1, 2022. To pursue this option, the Board would need approve the amendment of Ordinance 16-06 at its regular meeting on April 28, 2020. A copy of the draft amendment is attached. Pursuant to §§125.66(1) and 212.055(2), Florida Statutes, notice of the Board’s intent to consider the ordinance amendment must be published in a newspaper of general circulation in the County at least 10 days prior to the April 28, 2020 Board meeting. Furthermore, §212.055(2), Florida Statutes, requires that the amendment be approved by referendum of the electorate. In general, the amendment would temporarily increase the levy from 0.5 percent to 1.0 percent for a one year period, with the additional 0.5 percent to be designated solely for the capital improvements to the Public Safety Trunking Radio System and the current 0.5 percent remaining designated solely for WSPP purposes. At the end of the one year period, the levy would decrease from 1.0 percent to 0.5 percent, at which time 100% of said surtax would be designated solely for WSPP purposes as is the case presently.