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2 <br />Since the State Highway Patrol owns and manages the infrastructure for the VIPER radio <br />system, that State agency plans to install and activate the three radio sites. Therefore, the <br />Town of Chapel Hill and Orange County must enter into a memorandum of understanding to <br />allow the State Highway Patrol. to use the local grant funds to build the interoperable radio sites. <br />(Note: In a separate but similar Board agenda item on April 12; 2005, Commissioners were <br />made aware that the County's participation in the locally managed portion was contingent upon <br />both participation with the State Highway Patrol in the state managed VIPER infrastructure <br />project in addition to approval of a future memorandum of agreement regarding that participation <br />with the Town of Chapel Hill and the Highway Patrol.) <br />FINANCIAL IMPACT: There is no County match required for the receipt of the State- <br />administered reimbursable Federal` grant. The State Highway Patrol will purchase the <br />equipment directly and grant funding will flow through the State without flowing through the <br />County or the Town of Chapel Hill; therefore, no budget amendment is required for this action. <br />County and Town staffs plan to work with the State Highway Patrol to ensure appropriate <br />expenditure and reimbursement from the State pursuant to the terms of the grant. There may <br />be some incidental use of existing County or Town staff time; however, no additional County <br />costs are expected. <br />With regard to future costs for operating and maintenance costs of the towers, the State <br />Highway Patrol has agreed to assume them, as indicated in the Memorandum of Agreement. In <br />addition, local emergency response agencies throughout the County will need to purchase <br />VIPER compatible communications equipment once the system is operational. Many of these <br />agencies have received additional Homeland Security grant funds to offset some of the costs of <br />purchasing the equipment. - In addition, the Board approved 2006-16 Capital Investment Plan <br />(CIP) includes $400,000 ($100,000 each year between fiscal year 2006-07 and 2009-10) to <br />cover equipment costs not covered by grant funds. <br />RECOMMENDATION (S.): The Manager recommends that the Board: <br />• Accept the allocation award; <br />• Authorize the Manager to sign the Memorandum of Agreement, pending approval from <br />the county attorney;