NS - Grant - Ratification of Application for Interoperable Communications Technology Grant

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ORANGE COUNTY BOARD OF COMMISSIONERS ACTION AGENDA ITEM ABSTRACT Meeting Date: August 16, 2005 Action Agenda Item No. 5 - ~ SUBJECT• Ratification of Application for Interoperable Communications Technology Grant DEPARTMENT: Emergency Management PUBLIC HEARING: (Y/N) No ATTACHMENT(S): 7/13/05 Orange County Support Letter Project Description COPS Grant Program Description (under separate cover) INFORMATION CONTACT: Jack Ball, 968-2050 TELEPHONE NUMBERS: Hillsborough 732-8181 Chapel Hill 968-4501 Durham 688-7331 Mebane 336-227-2031 PURPOSE: To support a regional grant application to the United States Department of Justice for the purchase interoperable communications console equipment for the 9-1-1 Center and for portable 800 MHz radios. BACKGROUND: The United States Department of Justice Community Oriented Policing Services (COPS) office received up to $90 million during FY2005 to award technology grants to enhance interoperable communications throughout the United States. This highly competitive grant program was offered to specific Metropolitan Statistical Areas by invitation only. The City of Durham was invited by the Department of Justice to submit an application on behalf of the Durham Metropolitan Statistical Area (MSA), which includes the counties of Durham, Orange, Person, and Chatham. Person and Chatham counties chose not to participate in the application. City of Durham staff reported that they did not receive the invitation announcement until mid June 2005 due to misdirected documentation. Orange County staff only learned of the existence of grant, with no details such as matching funds requirements, just before the June 23, 2005 meeting of the BOCC, which prevented the Board's timely consideration of the grant application prior to its July 15 submission deadline. In the absence of any scheduled BOCC meeting prior to the application deadline, staff consulted with the Chair and Vice Chair before submitting the accompanying letter of support for the City of Durham grant. The letter notes thaf Orange County's support of the grant application is contingent upon the BOCC's ratification of its submission at this August 16 meeting. The City of Durham compiled a grant project in partnership with Orange County for 800 MHz compatible radios to further the interoperability between the two jurisdictions. The total project submitted to the Department of Justice was $3,894,300.60. Orange County's share of the project budget equaled $1,348,930, which would provide funds to purchase (7) seven interoperable radio console replacements for the 9-1-1 Center, and (30) thirty portable radios for emergency responders. The grant requires a match of 25%, resulting in a grant breakdown for