NewCityLogo-August2008

Council
Communication

Office of the City Manager

 
 

Date

January 25, 2010

 

Agenda Item No.       29

Roll Call No.              10-

Communication No.  10-022

Submitted by: Judy A Bradshaw Chief of Police

 

 

AGENDA HEADING:

 

Approving the purchase of Power 911 Emergency Telephone equipment from Qwest, PO Box 1301, 7404 N. 78th St. Bldg A, 1st Floor, Minneapolis, MN 55483-001 and authorizing the City Manager to sign the associated contract agreements.

 

 

SYNOPSIS:

 

Recommend approval to purchase Power 911 Emergency Telephone equipment from Qwest.  The Emergency Public Safety Dispatch Center at the police department requires an upgrade to their E911 Telephones.  The phones currently in this section were deemed “end of life” in July 2008.  This means the service provider (QWEST) is no longer able to order replacement equipment and may not be able to provide the department with a long term maintenance agreement. This situation also affects the alternate communications site at Fire Station 1. Fire Station 1 houses all necessary communications equipment needed to maintain the police and fire dispatch operations should the police department be incapable of providing the service. QWEST is the police and fire departments sole source provider for the E911 equipment and has been since the E911 system was initiated in the fall of 1984. The Police Department has identified funding to provide (9) stations at the police department and (5) stations at Fire Station 1. Polk County has recently upgraded their dispatch center and has provided a Power E911 position for our dispatchers should we require their center as an alternate site.

 

Funding from the 2009 Recovery Act Justice Assistance Grant was earmarked to upgrade the existing equipment from IAP+ to Power 911 Call-Taking positions.  Additional equipment recommended is a Power MIS 4.0 Server with hardware, software and the installation and travel to perform the installation.  A four (4) year pre-paid Power 911 Software Evergreen maintenance agreement is also included.

 

 

FISCAL IMPACT:

 

Amount:  $427,106.12

 

Funding Source:    $284,980.73 funded from 2009 Recovery Act Justice Assistance Grant, FY2010 Operating Budget, Special Revenue Funds SP751, POL984135, Page 252.  $142,125.39 funded from E911 Surcharge Reimbursement, POL040900, FY2010 Operating Budget, Page 233.

 

 

ADDITIONAL INFORMATION: 

 

E911 Surcharge funding is being utilized for the Power 911 Call Taking positions at the Police Communications Center and the alternate dispatch site at 900 Mulberry (Fire Department).  This project is part of a larger project that was proposed after the flooding events in June of 2008.  The Des Moines Police Department proposed a joint alternate dispatch site initiative that would also benefit the Polk County Sheriff’s Office Communications Center.  The project is partially funded by 2008 Justice Assistance Grant funds that will provide computer aided workstations, software and other technology to the Sheriff’s Office Communications Center allowing for a seamless transition between agencies.

 

The current alternate communications site at Fire House 1 will be upgraded and computer positions will be added to the existing equipment. It is the intent of the police and fire departments that should the need arise, emergency dispatching with Computer Aided Dispatch capabilities can be utilized for an extended period of time.

 

During the flood of 2008, it became practical to utilize the Polk County Sheriff’s Dispatch Center to assist with the dispatching operation. Upon taking a closer look at the cooperative effort shown by the City and the County personnel, the Police Department feels the Polk County Center could be used as an alternate site in the near future. Polk County has recently upgraded their dispatch center to the new Power E911 equipment and has purchased equipment and made special arrangements for the City’s dispatch personnel to use their center in case of a catastrophic event.

 

 

PREVIOUS COUNCIL ACTION (S): 

 

Date:  February 9, 2004

 

Roll Call Number: 04-278      

 

Action:              Renewal of E-9ll Telephone System Maintenance Agreement with Qwest Communications.  (Council Communication No.  04-041) Moved by Vlassis to adopt.  Motion Carried 7-0.

 

 

BOARD/COMMISSION ACTION(S): NONE

 

 

ANTICIPATED ACTIONS AND FUTURE COMMITMENTS: NONE

 

 

 

For more information on this and other agenda items, please call the City Clerk’s Office at 515-283-4209 or visit the Clerk’s Office on the second floor of City Hall, 400 Robert D. Ray Drive.  Council agendas are available to the public at the City Clerk’s Office on Thursday afternoon preceding Monday’s Council meeting.  Citizens can also request to receive meeting notices and agendas by email by calling the Clerk’s Office or sending their request via email to cityclerk@dmgov.org.