AGENDA #5h

 

MEMORANDUM

 

TO:                  Mayor and Town Council

 

FROM:            W. Calvin Horton, Town Manager

 

SUBJECT:       Response to Request of Technology Committee for Separate Consideration of Radio/Emergency Communications Issues

 

DATE:             May 13, 2002

 

This memorandum responds to the February 20, 2002 request of the Citizen’s Technology Committee that the Council provide for separate consideration of radio and other wireless communications for public safety and other Town operations.  We recommend that the Town continue to participate in a consultant review recently initiated by Orange County.  We will report to the Council and the Technology Committee as progress is made.

 

BACKGROUND

 

The Citizen’s Technology Committee was created by the Town Council in 1999 to evaluate the use of technology to improve Town services.  Although the Committee has considered a number of technological issues, their focus has been primarily on information management systems.  At the February 20, 2002 Town Council meeting, Committee Chair Alan Rimer conveyed the committee’s request that a second committee deal specifically with emergency communications.

 

Radio and other forms of wireless communication have changed substantially in the last 10 years, and the systems currently being used by our Fire, Police, Public Works and other departments are outdated.

 

DISCUSSION

 

During 2001, Orange County hired CTA Communications, Inc., a wireless communications consulting firm, to begin a study of the current emergency communications systems for the Orange County/Carrboro/Chapel Hill area, and to conduct a needs assessment for systems capable of handling future service requirements.  Key Chapel Hill Town staff members are participating in that process. The scope of the work includes:

 

·                      Review of the current systems,

·                      Short term improvements analysis,

·                      Development of system cost analysis, and

·                      Long term system recommendations.

 

 

The study being conducted by CTA is multi-phase and will follow a time line as agreed by contract with Orange County.  Phase one includes the following objectives;

 

·        Evaluation of the current systems in place along with the technologies being used and the facilities depended upon for communications.

·        Interviews with the various communications “users groups” including Chapel Hill operating and public safety departments.  Interviews should include future needs considerations and current problems encountered.

·         Evaluation of the components of the current system for adaptability, upgrade potential or other uses.

·        Evaluate the current support systems for communications including current G.I.S. and information technology interfaces.

·        Develop a set of short term recommendations to improve existing systems.

Phase two of the study will include development of a plan for a state of the art communication system to meet the long term needs of the public safety and support agencies and include a cost analysis.  The second phase also calls for CTA to assist in a bidding process once a decision is made on direction and technology desired for the various agencies.  The key to the study is that all the public safety agencies and various support agencies must be part of a system that provides interface with one another, equipment compatibility, linkages with the wider region of the Triangle and the capability of expanding with growth or increased service demand.

 

Town staff is cooperating with CTA to provide necessary data and information for the purpose of the evaluation.  Phase one is expected to be complete by midsummer of this year. Results of that study will be provided to Town Council for review after the summer break.

RECOMMENDATION

 

We recommend that the Town continue to participate in the consultant review recently initiated by Orange County.  We will report to the Technology Committee and the Council as this work progresses.

 

ATTACHMENTS

 

1.      Orange County Request for Proposal for communications study (p. 3)

2.      CTA Communications, Inc. Scope of Project (p. 6)