35 years |
Clayton Wilson |
|
30 years |
James N. Berry |
|
30 years |
Jimmy W.
Seals |
|
30 years |
John Vedro |
|
2.0 There
being no corrections, additions, or deletions to the February 27,
2003 Regular City Council Meeting minutes, Councilwoman Alexander made a motion to approve
the minutes as printed. Councilman Archibald seconded the motion and the
motion carried.
AYES: Councilmen Archibald, Southward, Williams, Hill, McNeil, Councilwoman
Alexander, and Mayor Barr.
Councilman
McNeil made a motion to approve consent agenda items 3.1 through 3.4, and
first reading of items 3.5 through 3.7. Councilman Southward seconded the
motion and the motion carried.
AYES: Councilmen Archibald, Southward, Williams, Hill, McNeil, Councilwoman
Alexander, and Mayor Barr.
Resolutions:
3.1: Resolution designating
election precincts and polling locations, appointing election officials
and fixing their rate of compensation for the May 3, 2003 City General Election.
The Resolution is numbered #6-2003 and is captioned as follows:
A RESOLUTION OF THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF ABILENE, TEXAS; DESIGNATING
ELECTION PRECINCTS AND POLLING PLACES; APPOINTING VARIOUS ELECTION OFFICIALS
AND FIXING THEIR RATE OF COMPENSATION; AND PROVIDING FOR A PROCLAMATION
NOTICE AND PUBLICATION OF NOTICE FOR THE MAY 3, 2003 CITY GENERAL ELECTION.
3.2:
Resolution approving Sanitary Sewer Waiver Request for Proposed Lot 1, Block
A, West Wind Plaza Addition.
The Resolution is numbered 7-2003 and is captioned as follows:
A RESOLUTION OF THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY
OF ABILENE, TEXAS, WAIVING SEWER IMPROVEMENTS REQUIRED BY THE SUBDIVISION
ORDINANCE FOR PROPOSED LOT 1, BLOCK A, WEST WIND PLAZA ADDITION, ABILENE,
TAYLOR COUNTY, TEXAS, LOCATED ON 6300 BUTTERFIELD TRAIL.
3.7: TC-00803
– Thoroughfare abandonment of a 20' east-west alley extending from N.
Treadaway Blvd. to Cottonwood, and located between N. 10th &
N. 11th Streets, and set a public hearing for March 27, 2003 at
8:30 a.m.
AN ORDINANCE PROVIDING FOR THE ABANDONMENT OF A PORTION OF PUBLIC
RIGHT OF WAY; PROVIDING FOR THE TERMS AND CONDITIONS OF SUCH ABANDONMENT;
AND CALLING A PUBLIC HEARING.
4.1: Ronnie Kidd, Director of Administrative
Services, briefed the Council on a Presentation from RCC Consultants, Inc.
regarding the Public Safety Communications System and an Action Plan for
the Upgrade/Replacement Project. Mr. Kidd stated
a Public Safety Communications Workgroup comprised of Fire, Police, Information
Technology and Communication Services staff has been working on addressing
issues associated with the City's Public Safety Communications Systems.
Members of that core project team are: Chief Martin, Assistant Chiefs
Berry, Dye, and Merchant from the Police Department; Chief Putnam and Assistant
Chief Plumlee from the Fire Department; Larry Swanson, Communication Services
Program Manager, and Mr. Kidd; with involvement and support from the City
Manager's office. Staff representatives from throughout the City
organization that are users of the communications system were also involved.
Additionally, the Sheriff's Department, County Officials, and the
Volunteer Fire Departments were included in interviews. An RFP was issued
and competitive bidding procedures followed to engage RCC Consultants, Inc.
to conduct a needs analysis and assessment of the Public Safety Communications
Systems. Mr. Kidd listed the experience
and expertise of RCC, then introduced Greg Munchrath, Vice President and
Western Division Manager from their Houston office; Mike Weins, Associate
Director from their Virginia office, who specializes in mobile data computer
assisted dispatch and records management components; and Scott Johnson,
Senior Consultant from their Dallas office, who specializes in the radio
system.
Greg Munchrath,
RCC Consultants, 10700 North Freeway, Suite 610, Houston, stated the presentation
will explain what has been done, what their findings are, and what the recommendations
for moving forward will be. Mr. Munchrath then gave a PowerPoint presentation on the following:
•
Current
Radio System Problems & Issues
• System
Recommendations & Benefits
• Existing
Police/Fire Portable Radio Coverage
• Conceptual
800 MHz Portable Radio Coverage
• System
Recommendations & Benefits
• Texas
800 MHz Trunked Public Safety Radio System (RCC Involvement)
Council and staff discussion included: 1) coverage
being needed (and expected due to the $10 million cost of the project) for
all of the city, including Ft. Phantom; 2) the map reflecting coverage being
based on a reliability factor; 3) alternate ways to address more coverage
if needed, including booster devices in police cars; and 4) the long expected
life of this technology.
Mike Weins,
Associate Director of the RCC Virginia Office, 1504 Judd Ct, Arlington,
Virginia, continued the PowerPoint presentation, reviewing the following:
• Current
Mobile Data Terminal Environment
• Current
Problems/Issues
• Features
& Functional Requirements
• Wireless
Data Recommendations
•
Upgrade/replace
Motorola network infrastructure
• Replace
existing in-vehicle mobile data computers
•
Equip
Fire units with mobile data/AVL capability
• Benefits
of Wireless Data Improvements
• CAD/RMS
Problems and Issues
• CAD
RMS System Requirements
•
System
Recommendations & Benefits
• Develop
& Implement Modern CAD/RMS Systems
• Better
Resource Management and Reduced Crime
• Improved
Crime Analysis Tools
• Increased
Data Standardization
• Improved
Reporting Tools
• Increase
Officer Accountability
• Greater
System Functionality
•
Increased
Efficiency by
• Substantially
Reducing Redundant Data Entry
• Improving
Ease of Use for System Users
• Improved
Long Term System Operation & Maintenance
• Other
City agencies $0.95M
• Mobile
Data System $1.20M
• CAD/RMS
System $1.75 - 2.75M
*Competitive bidding may reduce cost by 10-15%
Council and staff discussed the mobile data computer costs (around
$5,000 each), capabilities, impact on officer accountability; and optimizing
the dispatching process.
Mr. Kidd reviewed
the Action Plan to initiate Phase II of the project as follows:
• Develop
specifications for the new systems
• Release
system RFPs to the vendors
• Conduct
proposers' conferences
• Evaluate
vendors' proposals
• Conduct
vendor site visits, if needed
• Select
best offerings & vendors to implement the systems
• Negotiate
and execute contract(s) for the new systems
Mr. Kidd reviewed
possible funding sources as follows:
• $2 million targeted to date for project
• Efforts continue with Congressional Delegation to secure
additional project funds
• Grant Application & Possibilities
• First Responder National Grants (through Regional Council
of Governments’ process)
• Domestic Preparedness Assessment Grant
• Public Safety Foundation of America
• Other Grant Opportunities
• RCC Consultants Grant Writer / Application
• Motorola Grant Writer / Application
• 9-1-1 District Funding (to be discussed with 9-1-1 Board
3/26/03)
Mr. Kidd stated
staff's recommendation is for Council to approve the Action Plan as follows:
Formalize an amendment to contract with RCC
to enter into Phase II, which would be brought back to Council in the next
30 to 60 days. The consulting fees
for the overall project, Phase 1 through Phase 3 will equate to around 5%
of the total project. As staff moves
into Phase 2, developing of the system specifications would be done, then
RFPs issued, which would allow refinement of cost estimates, and to continue
to identify & pursue funding sources.
Determination would need to be made as to what impact the new system
and the conversion from the old equipment to the new equipment is going
to have on the dispatch center. With
the crowded condition of the dispatch center, expanding or relocating it
within the Law Enforcement Center may be necessary and an analysis needs
to be done to determine that need.
Mr. Kidd reviewed the following Estimated Project
Schedule, noting the schedule follows the City's budgeting process through
the summer, accomplishing what's possible while continuing to research funding
possibilities.
• Complete Requests for Proposals
• Receive Vendor Proposals
• Vendor contracts Negotiated
• Begin System Implementation
•
System Acceptance Testing &
Sign-off
Mr. Munchrath
stated the City could go approximately one year from this point forward
without having to spend any "system" money.
Council noted
between now and April 2004, funding would be required to pay RCC to do Phase
II. After that, within a year, funding
sources for the remaining $8 million due on the project would have to be
identified.
Mr. Kidd stated
he is in the process of identifying funding sources to retain RCC for Phase
II and will be bringing the information back to Council in 30-60 days.
Council questioned
at what point would the City become ineligible for Federal funds if it has
already committed to doing the project?
Mr. Kidd stated
Abilene would need to seek approval from the granting authority for the
ways the City intends to fund the project prior to any expenditures being
made. Approval from the Dept. of Justice to apply the funds towards the
consulting fee would be sought prior to expending any funds.
City Manager
Larry Gilley stated the City is not authorized to spend money that it does
not have in place for any project, whether it be for the Phase 1 that was
just completed, or Phase 2 that staff would like to move forward with. In
terms of the implementation phase all the funding sources will be identified
prior to taking any of the noted steps.
Staff's recommendation is that Council recognize that a milepost
has been reached with regard to Phase 1 and that Phase 2 is ready to be
implemented. Support of the project from the Council is
requested, but before any money is spent on Phases 2 or 3, staff will come
back to Council with the identification of funding sources and specifics
on what those projects will entail. Council's
approval today of the action plan to pursue the upgrade/replacement project
for the Public Safety Communications System does not commit the City to
any additional funding.
Councilman
Southward made a motion to approve the action plan to pursue the upgrade/replacement
for the Public Safety Communications System, as recommended by staff. Councilman
Williams seconded the motion and the motion carried.
AYES: Councilmen Archibald, Southward, Williams, Hill, McNeil, Councilwoman
Alexander, and Mayor Barr.
4.2 City Manager Larry Gilley introduced Elizabeth Grindstaff, Assistant Director of Community
Development, who gave a presentation on the Planning and Development Services
Division.
Ms. Grindstaff reviewed the Planning and Development
Services Division's functions, staff experience, board & commission
contributions, future plans for a development services center and office
of neighborhood services.
No
Council action was required.
Mayor Barr
recessed the Council into executive session pursuant to Sections 551.071,
551.074, and 551.072 of the Open Meetings Act, to seek the advice of the
City Attorney with respect to pending and contemplated litigation, to consider
the appointment and evaluation of public officers, and to consider the purchase,
exchange, lease or value of real property.
The
Council reconvened from executive session and reported no action taken.
5.4 There
being no further business, the Council reconvened at 11:00 a.m. in the City
Council Chambers of City Hall for the Financial Workshop.
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