Agenda Item Name:
Title
Discussion: Trunk Radio System
End
Presenter:
Harold Theus, Chief 352-384-3101
Description:
County staff to provide an update and to receive feedback regarding the Trunk Radio System and negotiations with the City of Gainesville
Recommended Action:
Recommended Action
Have a discussion
End
Prior Board Motions:
February 23, 2021, the BoCC heard the Presentation, Commissioner Prizzia, Assistant County Manager Crosby, Commissioner Alford, Commissioner Prizzia, and Commissioner Alford presented comments.
Commissioner Alford moved the following: SRA. 2nd Wheeler
• Authorize the Chair to execute an agreement with the City of Gainesville/GRU for the Trunk Radio System for this year only.
• Authorize staff to continue negotiations with GRU to develop a long term partnership agreement for the Trunk Radio System.
• Authorize staff to explore alternate plans for a County-wide radio system in the event the parties are unable to reach an agreement.
The motion carried 5-0.
April 14, 2020, Staff presented presentation on the proposed ordinance. Board approved authorization to advertise ordinance to amend Ordinance #2016-06, to provide funding for the Radio Management System.
March 14, 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
N/A
End
Background:
The contract between GruCom and its radio partners which includes Alachua County for radio services expired on September 30, 2020. In the fall of 2020, radio participants from Alachua County, UF Police Department, the City of Gainesville and Gainesville Regional Utilities (GRU) met on five occasions to negotiate methodologies of cost allocations. On January 4, 2021, GruCom sent a demand letter to Alachua County and unilaterally directed terms and conditions of a contract and threatened to remove the County from the radio system if full annualized payment was not received within 45 days of an invoice. Later, Alachua County Staff learned that similar letters had been issued to the University of Florida, Santa Fe College and the cities of Alachua, High Springs and Newberry.
As a result of GruCom’s threat to cut off the County’s ability to utilize the public safety radio system, the County Commission unanimously adopted Resolution 2021-01 to initiate the Chapter 164 Florida Statutes Florida Governmental Conflict Resolution Act on January 5th along with a Chair letter to City Mayor Lauren Poe.
On April 27, 2021 and May 6th, 2021 both governments signed resolutions to resolve the Public Safety Radio System dispute. This agreement stipulates the conditions of an agreement through FY 21 and pathway to negotiate, “a long-term partnership agreement with consideration of fair and equitable allocations of all system costs over that longer term.”