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MARCH 26, 2002 - 11:30 A.M. - SCOTT HEYMAN CONFERENCE ROOM
STAFF: S. Whicher, County Administrator; M. Shakarjian, Capital Program Coordinator; L. Shurtleff, Director, Emergency Response; J. Wood, County Attorney; W. Skinner, Public Information Coordinator; U. Mukherjee, Administrative Services Coordinator GUESTS: D. Kiefer, N. Schuler, Board of Representatives; J. Lalley, Cornell University; B. Wilbur, Ithaca City Fire Chief; K. Lansing, Chief, Cayuga Heights Police Department; D. Klemann, NYS Park Police; B. Steincamp, WHCU CALL TO ORDER The meeting opened at 11:34 a.m. Ms. Blanchard distributed the following handouts: Update on the Status of SWN dated March 15, 2002, SWN Advisory Council Minutes of Meeting of September 26, 2001, NYSAC Weekly Wire dated March 22, 2002 on 911 Funding, DOT Project Update Letters dated March 4, 2002 addressed to NYS Representatives and Letter to the County Board dated March 19, 2002 from the Ithaca Board of Fire Commissioners. ADDITIONS TO/DELETIONS FROM THE AGENDA None. It was decided to take up the Paging Project as the first item as Mr. Lalley said he would leave around noon. APPROVAL OF MINUTES OF FEBRUARY 26 MEETING It was MOVED by Mr. Penniman, seconded by Mr. Totman, and unanimously adopted by voice vote by members present, to approve the February 26, 2002 minutes with the recommended changes. PAGING PROJECT UPDATE Mr. Lalley said that he met with Mr. Shurtleff and Ms. Shakarjian to review the frequency analysis report from ACD Telecom. They have recommended the 460.275 MHz band. He expected to have the preliminary system design including recommended sites from United Radio by mid-April. He said existing structures will be used and there will hopefully be no need for new towers. He suggested a presentation to the County Board in early May and requested authorization by the committee to enter into a contract with ACD Telecom to coordinate FCC filing for a new paging frequency and related action. It was MOVED by Mr. Totman, seconded by Ms. Robertson, and unanimously adopted by voice vote by members present, that the ComCap Committee recommends to the Board of Representatives to adopt the resolution for AUTHORIZATION TO EXPEND FUNDS FOR THE PUBLIC SAFETY COMMUNICATIONS SYSTEM, PROPOSED PAGING CAPITAL PROJECT. A copy of the subsequently adopted Resolution Number 60 is attached. Next Mr. Lalley spoke on Logical Trunk Radio (LTR), a two-way voice and data system, as a possible alternative for upgrading the communications system. A letter to Ms. Shakarjian from United Radio on LTR was distributed. However, LTR does not comply with APCO 25, which means the system cannot undertake priority calling and has only limited signaling capability. Among its positive aspects are availability of plenty of manufacturers, re-usage of our existing licenses, likely utilization of our existing sites, better building penetration and less cost. Ms. Blanchard expressed reservations about pursuing this system as vital features were lacking. Mr. Whicher said while it is true that it cannot do what the 800 MHz system is capable of, it can enhance what we have now. Both Ms. Robertson and Mr. Lane wanted this pursued further and understood better. In reply to a question from Mr. Penniman on the need to modify specifications in the RFP to accommodate LTR, Ms. Shakarjian said it would be necessary to revise the mandatory specifications if we want vendors to offer LTR as an alternative. Mr. Lalley promised to provide more information on the system including cost aspects at the next meeting. In reply to a question from Mr. Lane regarding SWN’s move to 700 MHZ, Ms. Shakarjian said that SWN is looking at a combined 800 and 700 MHZ system which will be interoperable. Mr. Lalley left at this point. MISSION/PURPOSE/APPROACH Mr. Whicher said that the salient features of the mission for the communications system project are to provide 95% portable coverage at the least cost, enhance the existing system and use the minimum number of towers. He said the preferred approach is 800 MHz but there must be alternatives and fallbacks in view of the deteriorating condition of the existing system. COMMUNICATIONS SYSTEM: STATUS OF RFP Mr. Wood spoke of the tremendous response to the Draft RFP from the public and the vendors, including about 40 pages of comments from Motorola. He said the comments are being reviewed and the RFP is being modified based on the input. He mentioned that radios would be incorporated as part of the RFP as this may help get a better price. The RFP is expected to go out in a couple of weeks. Ms. Blanchard distributed a memo dated March 12, 2002 from Mr. Joseph on the findings of the ComCap subcommittee which addressed the question of how to pay for new radios associated with an 800 MHz system. She requested the members to look at it for discussion at the next meeting. Bob Steincamp of WHCU joined the meeting. 911 BUILDING PROJECT Mr. Whicher noted the cooperation received from the Town of Ithaca, the City of Ithaca and Ithaca College for the proposed project to locate the Communications Center at the South Hill Fire Station #5. He said that all three were wonderful partners and it was a pleasure to work with them. However, the cost estimate of $3 million provided by Egner Associates far exceeded our budget. A second company estimated a similar cost. He said a less complex building at a different site promised significant savings. The new site proposed was on airport land adjacent to the CFR Building. The Building Committee appointed by Board Chair Tim Joseph in January preferred this site to the one next to the Public Safety Building in view of its adequate size including room for future expansion and the probability that a jail expansion will be necessary at some time in the future. Further, it had a good line-of-sight and complied with technological and environmental requirements. He requested authorization from the committee for the change of site and distributed a draft resolution along with a site map. It was MOVED by Mr. Totman, seconded by Ms. Robertson, and unanimously adopted by voice vote by members present, that the ComCap Committee recommends to the Board of Representatives to adopt the resolution for CHANGING THE PREFERRED SITE FOR A TOMPKINS COUNTY COMMUNICATIONS CENTER FROM SOUTH HILL FIRE STATION #5 TO A SITE ON AIRPORT LAND ADJACENT TO THE CRASH/FIRE/RESCUE BUILDING AND AUTHORIZING THE PREPARATION OF BUILDING CONSTRUCTION DOCUMENTS. A copy of the subsequently adopted Resolution Number 61 is attached. Ms. Blanchard mentioned that the Building Committee is being reconfigured to reflect the site change. She said the 911 Operations Committee has been notified of the proposed change in location of the Communications Center. ITHACA COLLEGE TOWER PARTNERSHIP Mr. Whicher spoke of several meetings with Ithaca College on the potential for co-location on their tower. Ms. Shakarjian mentioned that the college wants a 200ft tower: we need to install two parabolic antennas at a height of 140ft. NYSTEC will undertake a line-of-sight analysis. It is possible that the tower companies would bear the cost of the tower. In reply to a question from Ms. Robertson regarding the problem of interference of signals due to co-location, Mr. Shurtleff said there are ways to get around that. ADJOURNMENT The meeting adjourned at 12:50 p.m.
RESOLUTION NO. 60 - AUTHORIZATION TO EXPEND FUNDS FOR THE PUBLIC SAFETY COMMUNICATIONS SYSTEM, PROPOSED PAGING CAPITAL PROJECT MOVED by Ms. Blanchard, seconded by Mrs. Schuler. WHEREAS, the County has established the Public Safety Paging System as a capital project (Project No. 34.19) and the Board of Representatives formed the Communications Capital Projects (COMCAP) Committee to develop and advance the project, and WHEREAS, Resolution No. 275 of 2001 was passed by the Board of Representatives, on recommendation of the Communications Capital Projects Committee, to obtain design consulting services from United Radio Services, Inc., of Syracuse, New York, related to the replacement of the current emergency paging system, not to exceed the total amount of $15,000.00, and WHEREAS, ACD Telecom, Inc., has performed a frequency search and analysis recommending that the County immediately pursue a new frequency for paging use (460.275 MHz), and WHEREAS, outside consultants and contractors are required to complete this phase of the project which includes frequency coordination and application to the Federal Communications Commission to obtain an operational license for the new paging frequency, now therefore be it RESOLVED, on recommendation of the Communications Capital Projects
Committee, That a scope of services be issued under Contract No. ADM-02-0129,
with ACD Telecom, Inc., to coordinate Federal Communications Commission
filing for a new paging frequency and any other related actions, not to
exceed the total amount of $5,000,
RESOLVED, further, That County Administration be authorized to implement this contract on behalf of the County, funds being available in Capital Account No. HF3419.59239. SEQR ACTION: TYPE II-20
cc: Administration – via Network
STATE OF NEW YORK )
I hereby certify that the foregoing is a true and correct transcript of a resolution adopted by the Tompkins County Board of Representatives on the 2nd day of April, 2002. IN WITNESS WHEREOF, I have hereunto set my hand and affixed the seal of the said Board at Ithaca, New York, this 3rd day of April, 2002.
MOVED by Ms. Blanchard, seconded by Mr. Totman. WHEREAS, Tompkins County has determined as a matter of policy to centralize public safety communications functions into one location, and WHEREAS, a temporary location in Central Fire Station in the City of Ithaca is currently being used for this purpose, and WHEREAS, the County Board by Resolution No. 56 of 2001 designated South Hill Fire Station #5 (SHFS5) as the site for the facility, and WHEREAS, for many months the Communications Capital Projects Committee has studied the selected site and proposed building and has learned that the site known as South Hill Fire Station #5 requires a structure design that will not fall within budget, and WHEREAS, the Communications Capital Projects Committee, recognizing the need to move rapidly to construct the communications center so as to relieve the overcrowded condition in the temporary facilities at Central Fire Station, recommends that a site immediately south of the current Crash/Fire/Rescue (CFR) building within the confines of the Ithaca Tompkins Regional Airport be designated as the preferred site, and WHEREAS, this site is not being used by the Airport, is not proposed for future Airport uses, and preliminary permission to use said site has been granted by the FAA, and WHEREAS, a less complex structure can be utilized on this site to accommodate the necessary program elements within budget parameters, now therefore be it RESOLVED, on recommendation of the Communications Capital Projects Committee, That the site immediately to the south of the current CFR building is designated as the preferred site for the Public Safety Communications Center, RESOLVED, further, That the County Administrator is authorized and directed to prepare the requisite building construction estimates and documents necessary to advance this project rapidly, RESOLVED, further, That letters of thanks and commendation be sent to the Town of Ithaca, City of Ithaca and Ithaca College recognizing their efforts to form a working partnership and provide significant support for the development of the project on the South Hill site. SEQR ACTION: TYPE II-20
cc: Administration - via Network
STATE OF NEW YORK )
I hereby certify that the foregoing is a true and correct transcript of a resolution adopted by the Tompkins County Board of Representatives on the 2nd day of April, 2002. IN WITNESS WHEREOF, I have hereunto set my hand and affixed the seal of the said Board at Ithaca, New York, this 3rd day of April, 2002.
Submitted by Ujjal Mukherjee,
Administrative Services Coordinator.
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