HomeMy WebLinkAbout02-City Administrator
CITY OF'"
.2.CCMICIIo. ....
From: SHAUNA EDWINS
City Administrator
Subject:
Authorize City Administrator
to prepare plan for purchase
and installation of the 800 MHz
system for the City of San
Bernardino.
Dept:
Date:
JulV 12. 1990
Synopsis of Previous CouncillCtion:
An agreement with Omnicom was adopted by Resolution '89-462 on November 20,
1989.
Recommenclecl motion:
That the Mayor and Common Council direct the City Administrator to forward
a letter to the County's Chief Administrative Officer indicating that the
Gity will not be participating in the County-wide program7 and the City
requests a specific allocation of 8 channels in addition to access and
us~ of one Data, one air-to-ground, and one local mutual aid channel,
for\a total of 11 channels.
AND
That the Mayor and Common Council direct the City Administrator's Office
to prepare an action plan including a time line and a financial plan
for purchase, construction and start-up of a City-owned 800 M~~ystem.
A-'JJ$'~~--~
" Signature
Contact penon:
Supporting date ..lr...hed: yes
Shauna Edwins
Phone:
5122
Ward:
FUNDING REQUIREMENTS:
Amount:
Source: IAcct. No.1
IAcct. DescriDtionl
Finlll1C8:
Council N01lll:
REVISED STAFF REPORT AND MOTIONS.
Aaenda Item No
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CDY OF
,-.--..r' &COWCIL......
STAFF REPORT
On July 12, 1990, Marland Howard, Director of comaunications
with the county of San ael'lUlrdino, met with City staff to.
answer our quetltions on 800 MHz. After talkinq to Mr.
Howard,. it ball becOll8 very clear to me, that the Ci1;y of San
Bernardino abauld 1IIpl..-nt i1:8 OW 800 MHz syst.... under
the county operated SIS1:ea, the City would have no control
over decisions relat nq to systell operation. 'l'he other
factor is the cost of a City systell verttUS a county system.
Attached is a cost breakdown prepared by Dick McGreevy.
Mr. Howard has explained that if the City's decision is to go
on its own, it will in no way. have a detrimental effect on
our relationship with the county. BecaUse all public
agencies within the county of San Bernardino will be uainq
the same equipment, Motorola, and the same frequencies, 800
MHz, there will be no impediments to regional cODlllUDication.
Implementation of our own system can be a significant
advantage to regional cooperation, as the City can provide
backup support in the event of failure on the part of the
County transmission capabilities. I strongly believe we
should indicate to the county that we are moving forward with
our own system.
As the il!lPlementation of the 800 MHz system is a significant
policy 1ssue in two areas: cost and control, I have
scheduled a luncheon workshop for August 6, 1990 in the HIC.
Mr. Marland Howard will be present to answer questions.
Please read the attached report from the City'S consultant,
OMNICOH.
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PRELIMINARY COSTS FOR CITY-OWNED 800 MHz 8ACKBONE
(Based on 830 Radios)
SINGLE SITE CONFIGURATION
Site $
SIMS I I
*Console, trunking
Microwave
**MDT backbone
614,000
210,000
100,000
200,000
450,000
$1,574,000
Backbone costs per radio per month =
with financing =
DUAL SITE CONFIGURATION
$15.80
21.21
Site + simulcast
SIMS I I
*Console, trunking
Microwave
**MDT backbone
$1,550,000
210,000
100,000
400,000
450,000
---------
$2,710,000
Backbone costs per radio per month = $27.21
With financing = 35.14
ADDITIONAL COSTS (to be borne by City)
Backbone Maintenance
Installation Management
$2.00 per radio per month
1.30 per radio per month
* Not included in county's $25.00 per month per radio cost.
cost is equal to $1.00 per month.
** Not included in county's $25.00 per radio charge. Cost
is equal to $4.62 per month per radio.
COMPARATIVE COSTS TO ACCESS COUNTY SYSTEM
Basic Charge
Console, trunking
MOT backbone
$25.00
1. 00
4.62
------
TOTAL
$30.62 (for first two years, indefinite
payoff per i od)
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An"yals of 800 MHz Radio System Illues for the
City of San Bernardino
The City of San Bernardino must make a dee/sion of whether to implement its own 800
MHz trunked radio system or join In the County 800 MHz radio system.
The major I88ue8 Involved In this analysis of this decision are:
. CoatI and Control
. Channel Availability
. Compatibility
. Communications Backup
.
The current rate for access to the County Radio Backbone system is $25 per radio
per month forever. This rate has been revised twice, having started at $105 per
radio per month, then $61.05 per month In late 1989, and Is now $25 per redio per
month.
By ~18on, the cost calculated for the City of San Bernardino system single
site backbone system based upon Motorola cost information is $13.58 per radio
per month for jO vears. or $6.79 per radio per month for 20 vears.
(Note: The backbone maintenance and management costs of $3.30 per radio per
month win continue forever.)
The County access fee has additionai costs that have not yet been determined.
Among these is the system Administrative Services cost, which Is listed as "rates
to be determined" In the County's yolce radio system rate schedule.
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OMN:ICOM~
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In addltlon, If the City requires more talk groups (Note: In a trunklng system. talk
groupt .... synonymous with channels), each additional talk group will cost an
addition" $10 per radio per month forever. The City of San Bernardino will have
very IttIe control over talk group allocation. The Operations Committee will be
"instrumentaJ" In determining the number of talk groups and they will .recommend"
talk group 88.lgnments to County System Administration.
Therefore, the City of San Bernardino has one voice on a committee that Is
"In8trument8r In making a .recommendatlon" that mayor may not be approved.
The bottom line 18 that " the San Bernardino Pollee Department and Fir.
Oepar1ment each require two more talk groups than they are allocated (which Is
a plausible scenario), the access charge would Increase by $40 (4 talk groups X
$10) per radio per month forever. This would bring the County access fee up to
the $60 per redlo per month area.
An additional unknown factor that affects the County system access rate Is the
p/8nned review of the rate structure after two years of operation. whIch will result
In a. . . "rate adjustment as appropriate".
.
The FCC allocates 800 MHz channels based upon the number of radio units in a
system (one channel for every 100 units). This ratio has been somewhat
compressed In San Bernard/no County because the fun channel allocation has not
yet been realized. However, the City has a longstanding verbal understanding with
the County that the City of San Bernard/no will Initially require 8 channels for Its
Independent communications system. This requirement was originally presented
in the County of San Bernardino Preliminary Working Plan dated 1986. These
channels are currently available In the system since the County has offered to
Include the City's 830 radio units In the County system.
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If the City Implements Its 800 MHz system, It will be able to operate on the same
talk groupl and on all of the same frequencies as the County system. Further. this
separate. duplk:ate capability of the City systamcan be a significant advantage to
the RegIon8ll Concept. lhould . catastrophic failure on the part of the County
backbone MMng the East End oc::cur.
.~
An IndepIndtnt City 800 MHz radio eystem would be completely compatible with
the C()Unty 800 Mhz radio syatern.
The CIty propos.. to use the same equipment vendor (Motorola) and the aame
acc;e.. protocol as the County aystam is using. The a0C888 and use 01 the data,
mutual aid and alr.to-ground channels wi be completely compatible with the
County system.
Because the City channels win be licensed and operated separately from the
County', operation. all compatlbl\ity Issues are resolved by the procurement of
Identtcal radios from Motorola, the vendor selected by the County. ArId because
the radios wID be ldentlC81. the integrity of the Reglonel communications system Is
maintained.
.
The City'. communications system can provide backup communications capability
to the County radio system and County Communications Center In the East End
of the valley Just as the West End system can provide backuP capablllty in the
West End of the valley. This capability I, possible without any equipment
modifications beCause the equipment lor all three systems (County, West End and
San Bernardino) Is from the same vendor (Motorola).
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In addition, the City's Communications Center could operate as a County backup
with the capablIIty to control both systems through the use of control stations In
the event of system tanures.
The CIty', Communications Center II aIIo. 9-1-1 center, which further Incre.ses
Ita value . . backup Public Safety CommunIc:ationI Center for the County In the
Eat valley area. The City'. PublIc Safety 9-1-1 center presently has a backup
agreement wIIh the County SherIft', CommunIc:ationI Center whereby City and/or
County 9-1-1 lines can be 8WItc:hed to tither Communications Center In the event
of . falure of the other Center.
Therefore, If the City loins the County system, the Issu.. are:
1. CIty hu UttIe or no control over the County lYStem operation or costs. The
City's role would be advisory only.
2. The system comparative cost analysis is currently Incomplete because
some County cost items have not yet been determined and other cost
itern8 have 8 high probability of Increasing. The bottom line Is that . City-
owned and operated system would beles. costly, probably by a very large
margin.
If the County', access fee begins to approach the recent figure of
8pproxlmate/y $80 per radio per month, the CIty of San Bernard'mo could
totally fund their own backbone system for less than 2 year's access fees.
($1.225,000)
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3. If the City Joins the County system, there will be no backup radio system or
backup Communication Center in the East va/ley. If the County system fails
during an earthquake, for example, the City of San Bernardino could
provide backup in the form of a radio system and a Communications
Center. This is also true In the West valley area where the West End JPA
communication system and the County system back each other up.
4. The CIty has . longstanding understanding with the County for 8 channels.
With reglrd to channel avanablllty, since the County h.. 8 channels In the
County system to assimilate the City of San Bemardlno, then these
channels may logically be made available to the City for Its use In
Implementing their own system.
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CITY OF MIl _AIIDINO - ___ FOR eotatCIL ACTION
From: James E. Robbins
Deputy City Administrator
Dept: Administrator
Su~~: Authorize the City Administrator to
prepare a plan for the purchase and
installation of the 800 MHz system
for the City of San Bernardino.
Data: July 5, 1990
Synopsis of Previous Council ~ion:
An Agreement with Omnicom was adopted by Resolution '89-462
on November 20, 1989.
Recommended motion:
That the Mayor and Common Council direct the City Administrator to forward
a letter to the County's Chief Administrative Officer indicating that the
City will not be participating in the County-wide Backbone construction,
installation, and maintenance program1 and the City requests a specific
allocation of 8 NPSPAC channels in addition to access and use of one Data,
one air-to-ground, and one local mutual aid channel, for a total of 11
channels.
And
That the Mayor and Common Council direct the
through the Office of Emergency Services to
including a time line and a financial pla~
for purchase construction and start-up I
of a city-owned 800 MHz system.
City Administrator's office
repare an ac 'on plan
.<)
/
I
Signature
Contact person: James E. Robbins
Phone:
5122
Supporting data attached:
Yes
Ward:
FUNDING REQUIREMENTS:
Amount:
Source: (Acct. No.l
(Acct. DescriDtionl
Finance:
Council Notes:
A ___....1_ 1...__ "1_
~"'.
Cfrv~ OF .__ai-NO - _QUaT ..& COUNCIL ACTION
STAFF REPORT
OVer the past three years, the cities and the County of San
Bernardino have been dealing with the purchase and
installation of an 800 MHz communications system. The
program has two phases, purchase and construction of a
"backbone" system (the towers, computers, and consoles): and
purchase and installation of equipment (car radios, MDTs, HTs
and accessory items).
The County has, in the name of the cities, received approval
from FCC for 64 channels. Earlier reports indicated they had
received 100 channels. These reports were in error. This is
to serve the west end, east end and high desert. The County
also sold bonds for the purChase of the backbone system. At
the time of sale the cost to each city to participate in the
backbone system would be $105 per radio per month. At this
time the west end cities formed their own group and undertook
the purchase of all equipment for their area. The County
then dropped the cost to $61.05 per radio per month.
The east end fire agencies had been discussing mutual
dispatch and saw this banding together as a possible way of
reducing the cost of installing the system. The City of San
Bernardino was not active in these discussions. Last year
the east end city Managers met and requested the City of San
Bernardino be the lead agency in investigating the
possibility of an east end JPA similar to the west end JPA.
Concurrently, the City started the conversion process. New
consoles were purchased for Police and Fire dispatch which
require only card conversion to 800 MHz. This reduces the
overall installation and equipment cost for a new system.
with Common Council approval and payment from the other
agencies (San Bernardino's share was approximately 40%).
omnicom began the detailed investigation of where equipment
would be needed and the projected cost. At that time all
fire agencies were proposed for centralized dispatch, police
would be dispatched as currently done (each city doing their
own) and general or local government would be dispatched as
currently done. The technical committee, made up of
representatives of all agencies, has met on numerous
occasions to study and consider the alternatives as noted in
the Emergency Services Director's monthly reports.
In late April the County again revised their number and came
up with a $25 per radio per month charge for the backbone. In
June this number was reaffirmed, however, it was acknowledged
that the system's capital cost were not being recovered. The
$25 rate was assured for two years and would be a part of a
continuing cost. The County has set a deadline of July 13 as
the date to declare participation in their system.
On July 2 all of the east end agencies met to state the
position of each their agencies. All agencies decided to go
I 75.0264
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with the County. Several were desirous of continuing to meet
to re-examine the east end JPA concept.
San Bernardino is large enough that a separate system is
appropriate. Throughout the studies it has been acknowledged
that San Bernardino might and could stand alone. Both of the
Chief of Police and the Chief of Fire are in concurrence that
we should continue with the purchase and installation of our
own system.
Based on the above information, the following is recommended:
1. Direct the city Administrator to forward a letter
to the County Chief Administrative Officer
indicating that the city will not be participating
in the County-wide Backbone construction,
installation, and maintenance programming; and the
City requests a specific allocation of eight (8)
NPSPAC channels in addition to access and use of
one (1) Data, one (1) air to ground, and one (1)
local mutual aid channel, for a total of 11
channels.
2. Direct the City Administrator's Office through the
Office of EmerqencyServices to prepare an action
plan including a time line and a financial plan for
purchase construction and start up of a city-owned
800 MHz system.
,
rJ;- ()/O l' ~ i -
:i~,;; ~O~B~:~-t~~
Deputy City Administrator/
Administrative Services
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FlLED:800MHZ.STAFF