Loading...
HomeMy WebLinkAboutMinutes 1997 - 1998DRAFT - NOT APPROVED MINUTES EMERGENCY TELEPHONE SYSTEM BOARD February 27,1997 Members Present: Alderman Edmund Moran; Paul Finnegan; John Wilkinson, Fire Chief; Max Rubin, Director ESDA and Facilities Management; Frank Kaminski, Police Chief; Dennis Nilsson Police Commander Staff Present: Sgt. Curt Kuempel, Police Department; Alan Berkowsky, Fire Department; Patrick Casey Presiding Official: Alderman Moran Summary of Action: The minutes of the 911 Board meeting of December 12, 1996 were approved as submitted. The meeting started with a discussion of regionalization of the dispatch center and the possibility of discussions with the Village of Skokie and the Village of Wilmette. Alderman Moran asked about a time line for the possible regionalization of the 911 system. Mr. Casey estimated 5-7 years. He noted that if the Board really wants to pursue regionalization in the next five years, we need to start planning now. Alderman Moran questioned the Board as to whether anyone did not feel that regionalization should be pursued at this point. It was the consensus of the Board that this was a good time to begin. It was noted that many other communities are pursuing regionalization of the 911 system and that for the most part the results have been good. It was pointed out that even though a community might consider going back, the cost savings are too great. One of the problems noted with the regionalization of a system is the turnover of employees because of the lack of personal touch. The fact that personnel may not be familiar with the community has been one of the negatives. One of the reasons the City has not joined other communities on radio frequencies is that Evanston with its high amount of radio traffic and service calls would cause other communities not being able to get on the air. Sgt. Kuemple mentioned the use of trunking systems which would allow more than one person to speak at the same time. lie noted that the City could not afford trunking alone, and that the changeover would be complicated. Them was a discussion of multi -band frequencies which the City already has and whether these would have to be retained. In addition, the Board discussed the ICED Center and possible addition of a BLUE center, located in Glenview, which serves a number of communities and has been successful. The Board concurred that even though there are some drawbacks to regionalization, they should be looking at possibilities. Alderman Moran inquired as to what questions were being asked by other communities. Chief Berkowsky noted that a study was being done on the pluses and minuses of RED center and that a copy of the report should be ready sometime next month. The Board questioned what other groups were doing. Mr Casey noted that the Police and Fire Departments are usually in contact with the other groups rather than management personnel and that if Evanston was to pursue discussion with other communities it would probably be better at this level. He expressed that initial discussions should begin at the Police and Fire Chiefs level. Alderman Moran asked if the Board could develop a list of possible groups with which to begin discussions. Chief Wilkinson said that the Fire Chiefs group had been discussing this matter already, and that generally the North Shore is in favor of regionalization. There was a concern expressed that there might be a number of groups that are pursuing this matter, but have little experience in the regionalization matter. There was a suggestion that the Board may need to go outside of the region to find a group that had already discussed this matter at some length. Mr Casey noted that the list the Board had contained centers which had already been implemented and remarked that they should have some information available. He noted that at some time these agencies made the decision to make a change and that the Board should probably contact them for background information. He suggested such questions as organizational structure, start-up, who has authority, could be answered by existing regional centers. He suggested that possibly the Police and Fire Chief might have better contacts to pursue this matter. Most of the regional centers have a board of directors that are appointed from the various agencies served. It was also brought up that setting up an autonomous group provides a buffer for individual communities. The group that has been talked about the most highly is the Northwest Central Dispatch. Doug Edmunds is the contact name. It was also pointed out that Skokie uses the same dispatch software as Evanston and would be a good contact. Commander Nilsson mentioned that it was also important to consider other programs - such as CADS, Records Bureau, etc. which could electronically generate reports. At some point this would become a much bigger picture than just communications. There was further discussion of contacting Wilmette. The need for a back-up center if regionalization was not an option. Mr. Casey pointed out that the Board's capital plan indicated the construction of a backup center in the year 2002. It was decided to contact Mr. Edmunds to see whether he would be available to discuss this matter. There was also discussion about contacting other villages such as Skokie and Wilmette. It was decided to plan a meeting for a Thursday morning and to invite people from other villages. OTHER BUSINESS The topic of upgrading the AS400 was brought up. Since the upgrade would cost more than $10,000 it was necessary to go out for proposals. It was estimated that the upgrade would cost $20,000 for the upgraded hardware, $6,000 for assistance and $2,200 for software for a total of about $28,000. There was also the possibility of purchasing a new AS400 which would eliminated downtime and assure a smoother transition which is important in this system. There was considerable discussion concerning the proposal, maintenance agreements and the time frame necessary for the upgrade of the equipment. It was moved and seconded to purchase the new equipment and to try to negotiate for a better price. The motion passed unanimously. There was discussion of the radios the Police Department is using, and the possibility of purchasing boards so that they could be encrypted. The cost is approximately $500 per radio and the Police Department has 24 of these. When this is accomplished the radios will be secure in that all you can hear is scrambled. It was emphasized that this equipment must be built and is not available on the open market. In addition, a new radio would have to be purchased which would allow the 911 operators to hear what was transpiring on the street for safety purposes, which would cost $900. It is also possible to have the console refitted with a new board. This alternative is superior because only conversation which goes through the console is recorded. A verbal quote refitting the console is $8,000. The cost of changing the radios and the extra radio would be picked up by drug seizure fund and the 911 fund would be asked to pick up the cost of refitting the transmitter. There was concern that this approach would have a band -aid effect and that Motorola would not have the system operational before mid -summer. It was noted that the Police Department had been using cellular phones to communicate but that it was not the most cost effective approach. There was a question as to whether Motorola would be the sole source of these boards. It was explained that it would be possible to get bids for the radios but that the console would probably have to be done by Motorola. It was moved and seconded to authorize the purchase. The motion passed unanimously. The meeting was adjourned. Respectfully Submitted Patrick Casey DRAFT - NOT APPROVED MINUTES EMERGENCY TELEPHONE SYSTEM BOARD April 25,1997 Members Present: Alderman Edmund Moran; Max Rubin, Director ESDA and Facilities Management; Dennis Nilsson Police Commander Staff Present: Sgt. Curt Kuempel, Police Department; AIan Berkowsky, Fire Department; Patrick Casey Presiding Official: Alderman Moran Summary of Action: The 911 Board met at Northwest Central Dispatch, Arlington Heights, Illinois. The director of the center, conducted a tour of the facility and explained how a regional dispatch center was organized and operated. The Northwest Central Dispatch Center began in 1972 with three participating police departments. In 1974 Buffalo Grove was added. In 1980 four fire departments were added. The Village of Palatine and Prospect Heights police and fire were added. Hoffman Estates and Streamwood are joining the dispatch center in 1997. Northwest Central Dispatch is govemed by an intergovernmental agreement. The Board of directors consist of the City Managers of each participating municipality. There is an executive committee that consists of the Police and Fire Chief. Respectfully submitted, Patrick Casey DRAFT - NOT APPROVED MINUTES EMERGENCY TELEPHONE SYSTEM BOARD June 26,1997 Members Present: Alderman Edmund Moran; Alderman Ann Rainey; Paul Finnegan; John Wilkinson, Fire Chief; Max Rubin, Director ESDA and Facilities Management; Dennis Nilsson Police Commander Staff Present: Sgt. Curt Kuempel, Police Department; Alan Berkowsky, Fire Department; Patrick Casey Presiding Official: Alderman Moran Summary of Action: The Meeting was called to order at 7:34 p.m. The Minutes of the April 25, 1997 meeting were approved 5-0. Chief Alan Berkowsky introduced Janet Coburn as the new Information Specialist for the 9-1-1 center. Ms Coburn will be responsible for the maintenance of the communications hardware and software and will begin to study how to more fully take advantage of the current system. Ms Coburn comes to the City from the H.T.E. corporation who is currently the software vendor used in the dispatch center. H.T.E. recently closed their Illinois support office. The Board turned its attention to the request for the emergency purchase of a digital voice logger. The Board reviewed a memo submitted by the Fire and Police Chiefs. Sgt. Kuemple emphised the importance of this piece of equipment. This equipment records all the calls received in the communications center and all radio traffic. The present voice logger was purchased four years ago and was an optical disc recording device. The company that distributed and serviced this equipment was based in Illinois until shortly after its purchase. A few months after the purchase the distributor went out of business. Since then, service has been suspect and inconsistent. Currently, the recording discs are being corrupted and information storage and retrieval is being compromised. The maintenance contract for this equipment is $4,500 per year. To purchase a new voice logger using digital tape technology the cost would be $33,182. Dictaphone would credit the City with a trade in for the old machine. Comverse, the manufature of the present system, is getting away from the public safety sector. Allderman Moran questioned the liability aspects of this equipment. Sgt. Kuemple stated that ther are numerous times where the City has to provide information to the courts and attorneys that represent clients. In addition the City uses the information to defend itself from lawsuits and questions regarding response to calls. Chief Wilkenson also stated that this information is used as a management and evaluation tool to evaluate the Police and Fire Departments perfomance. Mr. Finnegan asked if going back to tape was a technological step backward. Sgt.Kuemple responded that this is not the type of tape that was used in the past. This tape format is a digital tape that has the same features of the optical disc but with better performance and more storage capibilities. The tape has 640 hrs of recording time while the disc has only 24 hours. The cost of a tape is $25 verses $150 for the optical disc, Chief Berkowsky stated that a three year period for electronic media is a good period. Current computer technology only lasts three years. Sgt. Kuemple stated that it is extremely important that the center have reliable recording equipment so that the police department can go back to listen to tapes for additional information and leads on criminal activity. These tapes are also used to train new telecommunicators, and to point out errors. The equipment can be installed within six weeks but a loaner machine can be installed immediately. A motion was made by Mr. Finnegan to purchase a new voice logger from digital Equipment. The Board passed the motion 6-0. Chief Berkowsky reviewed the status of the AS400 upgrade. The upgrade is proceeding as planned. The new installation is scheduled for July 16th through July 18th. The current AS 400 is operating at 90% capacity. The new system is a RISC machine that will allow greater compatibility with other systems and is six times faster than the previous AS400. Chief Berkowsky reviewed the essence of an emergency medical dispatch system(EMD). EMD is inevitable. This type of training allows the dispatcher to assist a caller in assisting an individual involved in a medical emergency. Even though Evanston has five fire stations and response times are low EMD can still make the difference in a life threatening situation. Once EMD is started there is no turning back. EMD takes an enormous amount of initial and follow up staff training, financial resources and recertification on an annual basis. There is a hardware, software and materials expense. There may be a need for additional staff if the program is successful, We need to keep in mind that once a dispatcher begins to supply information to a caller they can not break off and handle other calls. Sgt. Kuemple distributed information regarding this service. Sgt Kuemple said at a recent conference there was a marked increase in the number of facilities offering EMD. Alderman Moran stated in reviewing the material that he began to wonder what the commitment would be to this type of program. Could staff provide some initial input into the cost of this program. Chief Berkowsky stated that he had not begun a full review of the costs of the program, but has come before the Board for direction and if the members are interested in providing this service. Alderman Moran responded that the Board has a charge to operate a system that is operationally sound and up to date but also fiscally sound. Mr Finnegan suggested that we could gather information from other centers regarding their experience with this service. Alderman Moran asked if there is information regarding the number of calls received that would benefit from this type of service. Alderman Rainey stated that even if one call benefited from this service it would be worth it. However, there needs to be addition research and work regarding this proposal. The Board encouraged staff to research and develop this program and return with more facts and impacts upon the operational and fiscal resources. Alderman Moran updated Alderman Rainey on the Board's preliminary discussions on the regionalization of the dispatch center. Rapid changes in technology and additional duties being added to the dispatch center will increase financial needs. To help minimize the impact of increasing costs, the City should explore the sharing of facilities with other communities. Mr. Casey also stated that the timing is such that many other Police and Fire Chief are willing to consider this option. When the Board began preparing the new center there was little interest in this type of arrangement. Alderman Rainey asked about how the calls for service at Northwest Central Dispatch compared to Evanston. Northwest Dispatch is a separate authority created by an intergovernmental agreement. The Board of Directors are the CityNillage Managers of the participating communities, the managing board of directors consist of the police and fire chiefs of the communities. There is a possibility that additional service could be included in a central authority such as records or central booking. Alderman Moran stated that its not too early to begin to outreach to other communities to begin actual discussions. Does the Board contact other communities or work through Northwest Municipal Conference. The City should invite other Fire and Police Chiefs to participate in a dialog to begin exploration of a regional center. The next meeting we should develop an agenda for a meeting with other communities and their police and fire chiefs. The Board should confirm if some of the proposals or ideas for regional centers are serious and contact the Northwest Municipal Conference regarding information on regional center. Staff will return to the Board with an outline of issues regarding regionalization. The Board reviewed a request for additional radio batteries in the amount of $5325. The Board approved the purchase 6-0. The Board reviewed a request for purchase of 7 additional vehicle tracking units for police squad cars. The Board approved the purchase 6-0. Being no further business the Board adjourned. Respectfully Submitted Patrick Casey r DRAFT - NOT APPROVED MINUTES EMERGENCY TELEPHONE SYSTEM BOARD August 28, 1997 Members Present: Alderman Edmund Moran; Alderman Ann Rainey; Paul Finnegan; John Wilkinson, Fire Chief; Max Rubin, Director ESDA and Facilities Management; Dennis Nilsson, Police Commander Staff Present: Sgt. Curt Kuempel, Police Department; Alan Berkowsky, Fire Department; Patrick Casey Presiding Official: Alderman Moran Summary of Action: The Meeting was called to order at 7:34 p.m. The Minutes of the June 26, 1997 meeting were approved. The Board began the review of the proposed 1998199 Emergency Telephone System Budget. Mr. Casey began a review of the proposed budget. Revenues are expected to increase over the previous year by $383,000 due to the increase in the surcharge from $ .75 to $1.50. The projection sheets have been updated from the previous year to show a long term picture of the fund balances. Personal Service are expected to remain constant over the next year. Ameritech raised their charges for 9-1-1 service causing the increase in Account 23300 - Telephone and Telegraph of $ 2,400. Other professional services, account 23300, indicates an increase of $ 52,000. This represents increases in the cost of maintenance contracts for software and hardware. The increase of maintenance is due to the addition of a maintenance contract for communications headsets for the fire trucks. Alderman Moran stated that the other maintenance contracts have held the line over the past year. Alderman Rainey asked if the contracts were one year contacts. Staff responded that most of the current contacts are one year agreements. Training and travel, account 24100, has increased by $31,000. The increase is due to the inclusion of training for Emergency Medical Dispatch. Alderman. Rainey asked what other type of training will be offered to dispatchers in the next year. Sgt. Kuempel responded that training will include domestic violence dispatch training and fire dispatch training. Their is no increase in funding for other professional services, fuel, Minor Equipment and tools and office supplies. Other professional service is the account used to bring in specialized help when Information Services or other staff cannot solve a critical problem. The book account is used to purchase a Haynes address that lists all the names and addresses of local buildings and occupants. Account 40300 Transfer to other funds are the funds set aside for the repayment of the bond used in the construction of the center. Interdepartmental transfers is a payment to the General Fund for pension. Transfer to the General Fund for administrative expense, is for staff support for the communications center provided by employees funded from the General Fund. Finally Other Machinery and Equipment, account 520000, is used to replace major equipment for the communications center. Sergeant Kuempel reviewed the capital expenditures and the need to replace equipment in the next year. r The Board approved the submission of the proposed 1998/99 Budget. Chief Berkowsky reviewed the Emergency Medical Dispatch program. The program is designed to have the dispatcher become the first responder in a medical emergency. The proposed program would provide training to all dispatchers at a cost of approximately $25,000. Chief Berkowsky reiterated a number of points relating to EMD: 1. An EMD program would improve service to the community. 2. The public, through television, has come to expect a higher level of response. 3. The success of an EMD program is directly related to the amount of training provided. Alderman Moran stated that at the last meeting the Board was in favor of this program but required additional information on the implementation of this program. The information has been provided and there needs to be a decision to go ahead with this program. A short discussion ensued about what training material would be used and if it was available for a window based environment. Sergeant Kuempel inquired about how long a dispatcher would be involved with a typical EMD call. He is concerned that at times when the center is short staffed an EMD response may cause other dispatching problems. Chief Bekowsky commented that an EMD call would not take additional time and can be similar to situations already encountered by the dispatch staff where one incident can take five minutes or more of a dispatcher time. Sergeant Kuempcl also commented that once this program began the center would have to spend moneys to keep it running at peak efficiency. The City, down the road, could not back away from this service once it started. Training must be kept current and staffing must be kept up to date for this program to succeed. Alderman Rainey asked how many authorized telecommunicators are on staff and what is the current staffing level. Sergeant Kuempel responded that the center has seventeen positions filled and twenty-one budgeted positions, which include service desk positions. The question was posed if a dispatcher cannot pass the training for this program what happens? The program is fairly simple and can be read off cards but if a problem arose the City would have to address it. The Board continued discussion on the EMD matter. The Board agreed that the EMD program is a good one and should be implemented into the dispatch center but should be delayed until the center is at full strength. The Board decided to leave funding for EMD in the 1998/99 Budget but to revisit the implementation of the program until mid 1998. There being no further business the Board voted to adjourn. Respectfully submitted, Patrick Casey Director of Management and Budget DRAFT - NOT APPROVED MINUTES EMERGENCY TELEPHONE SYSTEM BOARD April 23,1998 Members Present: Alderman Edmund Moran; John Wilkinson, Fire Chief, Max Rubin, Director ESDA and Facilities Management; Frank Kaminski, Police Chief; Dennis Nilsson Police Commander Staff Present: Sgt. Curt Kuempel, Police Department; Alan Berkowsky, Fire Department; Patrick Casey Presiding Official: Alderman Moran Summary of Action: A motion was made and seconded to approve the minutes of the August 25, 1997 meeting. The minutes were approved. There was discussion on a wireless seminar. Mr. Casey noted that the seminar was open to all board members and that it would give more information on wireless communication, future cellular phone response requirements, and implementation schedules. Alderman Moran said that he noticed that there was a reference in the conference materials to an FCC order. Mr. Casey said that it was the implementation of Phase 1 and Phase 11 wireless communication regulations. He said that it would be available at the seminar. The next item for discussion was request for purchase of twelve portable radios for the Fire Department. Chief Wilkinson noted the original order was expected to be for 11 radios at a cost of $1,100 each. Sergeant Kuempel noted that the radios are replacements for the Sabre model radios. Mr. Rubin and Chief Wilkinson discussed the merits of the new radios and the maintenance contract involved. One radio was added to the order to replace a radio for the ESDA officer. The recommendation was for the low bid of 12 radios at $749, a total of $8,988. The Board passed the recommendation. Fire Division Chief requested that the Board approve an annual technical support contract with IBM Chief Berkowsky noted that IBM normally charges $175 per hour for assistance. The proposed contract would cost $156.90 per month. The contract can be canceled anytime with a 30-day notice. Chief Berkowsky noted that technical assistance with the AS400 was routinely needed. The Board approved the purchase. Sergeant Kuempel requested the purchase of equipment to allow the fourth call taker position in the emergency center to become fully operational. He noted that it was not practical to have a part-time fourth position and not have the proper equipment for that person. Alderman Moran questioned the position and costs. Sergeant Kuempel replied that an upgrade of this position would require the radio hookup to both Police and Fire frequencies. The cost of the upgrade would be approximately $50,000. Alderman Moran inquired on the effect on the budget the purchase considered tonight would have. Mr. Casey responded that some of the purchases had been identified in the budget and those which were not could be paid for out of the fund balance. Mr. Casey indicated that he would provide a report on the fund balance at the next meeting. The Board voted to approve the call taker equipment. The Board approved the purchase. The next item was the upgrade on the telephone system. The telephone system identifies the address and telephone number of a caller. Sergeant Kuempel pointed out that this was also a Motorola system and that a lot had happened in the last four years. There was discussion of the changes ahead for wireless communication needs and if the purchase should be delayed until these changes took place. There was a question of upgrading the software. It was noted that the original software was purchased in 1994 and that the system was breakdown free. Consideration was given to the fact that the system could remain in good condition, but that new repair parts may not be available if the upgrade is not completed. The recommendation of Motorola was considered. There was a motion to recommend the upgrade of the telephone system in the amount of $25,000, the motion passed. Sergeant Kuempel reviewed the proposed upgrade of the police radio system. Sergeant Kuempel noted that two transmitters should be replaced - one transmitter on the bank building and one on the police building. The oldest frequency in the bank building - frequency one - is the one being considered. This system has been in existence for about 18 years. It is being recommended that this transmitter be upgraded. The first priority is the transmitter at the bank building. The whole upgrade would cost approximately $45,000. The question was asked as to whether the amount would be lower for doing everything at one time. There was further discussion about what would happen if the fund were not spent. A motion was made and seconded to upgrade the police radio system and it was passed. The Board considered a request to purchase additional police radios. Mr. Casey noted that there was a $25,000 budget for this purchase. It was noted that there are not enough Police radios to go around if there is an emergency or when there are special events. The contract will cost about $8,200. The purchase was approved. Mr. Casey presented the renewal of the contract with Ameritech for 9-1-1 service. The contract is based on the number of exchange lines within the City boundaries. The cost of the contract is $150 per 1000 exchange lines. Part of the service that is provided under this contract is the ANI and ALI information. ANI and ALI is the automatic display of location and phone number of a caller. The Board voted to renew the contract with Ameritech. The discussion then turned to regionalization and the possibility of the City joining with some smaller villages to provide service. Mr. Casey noted that Evanston would probably have a large enough facility to join with other municipalities. There was further discussion on the merits of various systems. The possibility of contacting Wilmette or Kennilworth was considered. There was also consideration of the volume of calls and the issue of training with the present staffing levels. Mr. Casey asked if there were any reason for meeting in May. He said that he did not want to go from month to month and cancel meetings at the last minute. It was then assumed that the next meeting would be on June 25, 1998. Respectfully Submitted, Patrick Casey DRAFT - NOT APPROVED MINUTES EMERGENCY TELEPHONE SYSTEM BOARD July 23, 1998 Members Present: Alderman Edmund Moran; Alderman Ann Rainey; John Wilkinson, Fire Chief; Max Rubin, Director ESDA and Facilities Management; Frank Kaminski, Police Chief. Staff Present: Sgt. Curt Kuempel, Police Department; Alan Berkowsky, Fire Department; Patrick Casey Presiding Official: Alderman Moran Summary of Action: A motion was made and seconded to approve the minutes of the April 23, 1998 meeting. The minutes were approved. There was discussion on the Illinois NENA annual seminar in Decatur. The seminar will focus on wireless communication issues and other pertinent 9-1-1 information. The conference will be held on October 25-28, 1998. Mr. Casey noted that those wishing to attend should contact him for registration information. Purchase of additional Fire Department radios., The purchase the new reserve fire truck and the need for radios for it was discussed. It was noted that Motorola had opened the possibility of a private line for the Fire Department, much like that used by the Police. The down side is that the 600 model radios would not be able to handle the transmission. The radios that are being phased out are not capable of handling transmission. It would cost somewhere between $3,000 and $3,500 each to replace these radios. Mr. Wilkinson noted that the portable radios used by the Fire Department were all right, but that other mobile radios in the vehicles would need to be replaced. The Department presently has 27 mobile radios used by the Fire Department. They are asking to replace 11 of these radios. The other 16 radios are programmable. It was suggested that the Fire Department put together a study of all radios that it has and which ones will need to be replaced. It was noted that there are three types of radios - inside, mobile and portable. The portable radios have been replaced. These are programmable and require no programming fee. It was noted that it could be done cheaper, but that the old radios would not be repaired. A discussion ensued as to whether it would be best to get bids for the equipment. Mr. Wilkinson noted the time involved. Mr. Derkowsky said that the private line for the Fire Department was long overdue. A There was a discussion if funds were available and budgeted for this purchase. Alderman Moran moved that the Board go out for bids and take measure of the funds available for this purchase. There was further discussion about the time needed and the value of a private line. It was suggested that this be done and that the Board meet in four weeks to discuss the results. Mr. Casey brought up the topic of the 1999 Budget and asked when the Board would like to begin discussing it. He said that he would provide information on the fund balance and the surcharge revenues received to date. Alderman Moran said that he would leave that up to Mr. Casey's best judgment. The motion to go out for bids on the equipment and to check what is available in the budget was passed. Alderman Rainey asked whether there were any positions funded in the 911 account that had not been filled. Staff responded that there are two positions funded by 9-1-1 and that they are presently filled. There are six Telecommunications positions funded by a federal grant that still are vacant. Mr. Casey pointed out that if the Board felt it appropriate it could recommend additional operators. Alderman Rainey asked for information on the equipment recommended at the last meeting. There are two items approved that have not been purchased - a synchronized clock that has been purchased but not installed yet, and a broadband update. The I —NET cable system which carries information to the Police and Fire Departments is constantly going down. Mr. Casey noted that the Information Systems Department is researching this matter and will be recommending a long- term solution to the problem. The solution will likely be a backup system that will switch automatically if the I -Net went down. Mr. Rubin discussed the [-NET communication, which he said was faster than a telephone line. He commented that improvement to the ]-NET service could be a point of negotiation during the next cable franchise agreement. Respectfully Submitted, Patrick Casey Director of Management and Budget DRAFT - NOT APPROVED MINUTES EMERGENCY TELEPHONE SYSTEM BOARD September 24,1998 Members Present: Alderman Ann Rainey; John Wilkinson, Fire Chief; Max Rubin, Director ESDA and Facilities Management; Frank Kaminski, Police Chief; Dennis Nilsson, Police Commander; Paul Finnegan. Staff Present: Sgt. Curt Kuempel, Police Department; Alan Berkowsky, Fire Department; Patrick Casey Presiding Official: Alderman Rainey Summary of Action: The meeting was called to order by Alderman Ann Rainey. The Minutes of the meeting of July 23, 1998 were approved. Mr. Casey said that he would go through the budget by line item and explain what changes had been made. The first item is the Regular Salaries - 10100, Mr. Casey noted that the amount was $44,100 - a decrease from last year of $44,900. He said that the additional $44,900 had been budgeted for a systems administrator- primarily a software person. That person has been doing jobs unrelated to her original position. Mr. Casey is proposing that the person be moved back into the Information Systems Department and that the 911 account be charged a fee for services. In this way, the correct technician can be sent to fix whatever problem there is. The Police and Fire Departments are in concurrence. It was noted that the costs would be lower and that there should be higher efficiency. The professional service line item included the maintenance contracts for 9-1-1 equipment. Mr. Casey went over the contracts, which included all of the Motorola equipment. He noted that the HTE Contract was near the end of the six year maintenance period and that there could be a 5% or more increase. Mr. Berkowsky said that he had a verbal agreement of 5%. Telephone and telegraph has an increase of $ 10,000 because of the review of service lines in the 911 Center for network connections. Under the 911 contract, these fees can be raised. Travel and training will remain the same and still contains funds for Emergency Medical Dispatching (EMD). It has not been decided when EMD will be implemented. Membership dues has been raised $500 to include the HTE User Group meetings. Police and Fire Department employees will travel to meetings of this group to learn about new software developments. Other Professional Services will remain the same and will include any necessary outside technical support. Books. Publications and Maps and Fuel for the generator will remain the same. There is no change in Minor Equipment and Tools, which includes accessories for radios and cables, etc. Office Supplies shows no change. This includes disks, boxes, audiotapes, etc. There is $5,000 in contingencies for anything else that may come up - repairs for the center itself, lighting, etc. Medical Insurance is down because the technical .t person has been moved to Information Systems. Life Insurance shows no change. Interdepartmental Transfers include pensions and other costs for people who work in General Fund elements, but do work for other funds. Capital Outlay includes the annual chair replacement. There is $175,000 budgeted in Office Machinery and Equipment for a contract and for a broadband communication backup system. This system goes through the I -Net Cable system. The wires and the boosters are not what they should be. There are problems keeping communications going over the cable line. The downtime is causing problems at the Dispatch Center. There should be some discussion when there are cable negotiations, but the City cannot afford for the system to go down. The $70,000 will upgrade some of the communications at the 911 Center and will provide a backup system when the cable is down. This is an automatic system. Mr. Berkowsky noted that the cable franchise is up for negotiations in one and one half years. There was considerable discussion about how this system could be changed and what would need to be done if the system incurred a disaster. The possibility of paying a monthly fee to contract with a system for backup was discussed. There was also discussion about replacement of radios. It was noted that there are numerous technologies that could be used. There are also other nearby communities which can be contacted for information about sharing system information and facilities. It was noted that Skokie is probably in the same situation as Evanston, and that Evanston might have discussions with them. Mr. Casey asked if there were questions on any other items under Capital Outlay. He pointed out some of the equipment needed such as radios and monitoring equipment. He also noted the figures for surcharge estimates. Most of the items on the list have already been discussed. Mr. Rubin, brought up cable telephones and the need to regulate them. Mr. Casey noted that also included was a history of surcharges and the increase in expenditures. He said that he was hoping for a healthy fund balance so that most items could be paid for in cash. There was discussion of various charges and whether the fund could be used to finance them such as carpeting, painting, lighting, etc. Mr. Rubin said that City employees could accomplish the labor but that materials would have to be considered. Mr. Casey suggested that the Board might add $10,000 to the budget. Alderman Rainey suggested that she would like to see some update as to what was going on the legislature with regard to Emergency 911 Centers. It was moved and seconded to add $10,000 to the budget for items to be used and repair and refurbishing of the center. The motion passed. It was suggested that another meeting be held before the budget was presented to the Council. The next meeting will be held November 5, 1998. The agenda will again include the budget. Being no further business the Board voted to adjourn. The Meeting was adjourned at 9:00 a.m. Respectfully Submitted, Patrick Casey