Agenda Item # 3
Columbus Consolidated Government
Council Meeting
03/08/2011
Agenda Report # 607
TO: Mayor and Council
SUBJECT: 2011 Homeland Security Grant
INITIATED BY: Engineering Department
Recommendation: Approval is requested to submit an application and, if
approved, accept a $1,394,028 grant, or otherwise awarded, from the Georgia
Emergency Management Agency/Homeland Security for 2011 Homeland Security Grant
for improvements to the 800 MHz Regional Radio Systems Tower site to site
communications and to expand the Whitesville/Highway 103 Tower site by adding
two (2) more radio channels. Approval is also requested to amend the
Multi-Governmental Fund by the amount of the grant award.
Background: The City?s original 800 MHz Radio System has expanded over the
years since its original construction in 1993 from serving only Columbus to
providing radio communications for Columbus, Harris and Troup County local
governments. The Regional Radio System has nine (9) separate communication
links that process radio traffic from radio users to Tower sites to E911
Centers.
Analysis: Today, the communication links use commercial T-1 Circuits that are
leased by each local government. The commercial T-1 Circuits continue to have
reliability issues that causes loss of radio communications in the field to
include certain failures that takes E911 Centers off the air. Then, there is
the reoccurring lease cost to each local government that currently totals to
$117,480 annually; $30,000 for Columbus.
This grant request is to replace the leased T-1 Circuits by purchasing a Point
to Point Microwave System with a 99.9% reliability that eliminates the annual
T-1 Circuit leases. After the purchase and installation of the Point to Point
Microwave System, each local government will be responsible for a prorated
annual maintenance to maintain this System. Columbus? share is estimated to be
$12,789. The expansion of two (2) radio channels for the Whitesville/Highway
103 Tower site will be maintained by LaGrange/Troup County.
The 2011 Homeland Security Grant application had a short time window having to
be submitted to the GEMA Region #4 All Hazard Council by Monday, February 28,
2011 for which the Engineering Department submitted the application. The final
dollar amount of the Grant application was not determined until February 28th
when LaGrange, Troup and Harris County submitted their actually annual T-1
Circuit lease dollars.
Financial Considerations: Columbus is the sponsor for this grant (thru the
Engineering Department) that provides improvements to Columbus, Harris and
Troup County local governments within GEMA Region #4. The Grant requires
participation by the local governments. It is the intent of this grant to
apply the annual T-1 Lease dollar amount to this grant. There is a $117,480
local government match. Each local government will participate in the
following dollar amounts; Columbus ? $30,000, Harris County - $40,000,
LaGrange - $23,095 and Troup County - $24,385 totaling to the required match of
$117,480.
Projected Annual Fiscal Impact Statement: Columbus? impact for FY-2012 is
$30,000 as noted above plus $12,789 annual maintenance totaling to $42,789.
Legal Considerations: The award of a Grant for the City requires Council
approval.
Recommendations/ Actions: Recommend Council approve the 2011 Homeland Security
Grant.
A RESOLUTION
NO. _____
A RESOLUTION AUTHORIZING THE CITY MANAGER TO SUBMIT AN APPLICATION FOR, AND IF
AWARDED, ACCEPT A GRANT IN THE AMOUNT OF $1,394,028, OR OTHERWISE AWARDED, FROM
THE GEORGIA GEMA/HOMELAND SECURITY AGENCY WITH A LOCAL MATCH REQUIREMENT OF
$117,480 AND TO AMEND THE MULTI-GOVERNMENTAL FUND BY THE APPLICABLE AMOUNT.
WHEREAS, Columbus is the sponsor for a 2011 Georgia GEMA/Homeland Security
grant to make improvements to the Columbus Regional Radio System that serves
the local governments of Columbus, Harris County, Troup County and the City of
LaGrange, Georgia; and,
WHEREAS, the Engineering Department prepared the grant application for said
local governments and will administer the grant for our regional partners if
awarded; and,
WHEREAS, the grant proposes to replace commercial T-1 Circuits between Tower
sites and local E911 Centers with Point to Point Microwave system; and,
WHEREAS, grant proposes to add two (2) radio channels to the
Whitesville/Highway 103 Tower site to improve radio communications in Troup
County; and,
WHEREAS, each local government will participate in the following estimated
amounts; Columbus $30,000, Harris County - $40,000, LaGrange - $23,095 and
Troup County - $24,385 totaling to the required match of $117,480.
NOW, THEREFORE, THE COUNCIL OF COLUMBUS, GEORGIA, HEREBY RESOLVES AS FOLLOWS:
That the City Manager is hereby authorized to submit an application, and if
approved, accept a grant in the amount of $1,394,028, or the amount otherwise
awarded, from the Georgia GEMA/Homeland Security Agency with a local match
requirement of $117,480 and amend the Multi-Governmental fund by the amount
awarded.
___________
Introduced at a regular meeting of the Council of Columbus, Georgia, held
the _________day of _____________, 2011 and adopted at said meeting by the
affirmative vote of
_____________members of said Council.
Councilor Allen voting __________.
Councilor Henderson voting __________.
Councilor Huff voting __________.
Councilor McDaniel voting __________.
Councilor Turner Pugh voting __________.
Councilor Woodson voting __________.
________________________ _________________________
Tiny Washington, Clerk of Council , Mayor
Attachments
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