Agenda - 12-05-1983 - Laserfiche WebLink

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ORANGE COUNTY 4 U BOARD OF COMMISSIONERS ACTION AGENDA ACTION AGENDA ITEM ABSTRACT ITEM NO.G-to MEETING DATE December 5, 1983 SUBJECT: Alarm Monitoring DEPARTMENT- County !tanager PUBLIC HEARING: YES X NO 7ATTACHMENT(S): I INFORMATION CONTACT: County Manager's Offi.- PHONE NUMBERS: HILLSBOROUGH •- 732-8181 HILLSBOROUGH - 732-9361 CHAPEL HILL - 967-9251 MEBANE - 227-2031 DURHAM - 688-7331 PURPOSE: For the Board to consider authorizing the Directors of Purchasing and Emergency Services to prepare bid specifications for alarm services whereby a private'contractor would deliver alarm protection to private subscribers and the County would directly monitor alarm monitoring equipment housed in the 911 Center and supplied by the private contractor. NEED: This is ue is being brought before the Board at this time due to a pro- w; vision the current contract between Alarms and Protective Systems, Inc, (APS) and the County which requires APS to inform its subscribers 90 days before ontract termination (December 7, 1983) that its alarm monitoring system jvill be disconnected from the 911 Center. This being the case, the Board needs to decide whether to: 1. Notify APS that the County will terminate its contract on March 7, 1984, and activate the 90 day notification require- 1 jent on December 7, 1983: or 2. Notify APS that the County intends to renew its contract with APS thus rendering the 90 day notification requirement unnecessary: or 3. Notify APS that the County will terminate its contract on March 7, 1984, activate the 90 day notification requirement and authorize county staff to prepare bid specifications and gather bids for con- tinued county involvement in direct alarm monitoring beyond ?larch 7, 1934. Prior ti the implementation of the 911 Central Dispatch System, the Orange County Sheriff, the Chapel Hill Police, and the Carrboro Police, as part of their respective communications functions, monitored alarms of private homes and businesses within their jurisdictions. Following formation of the County operated 911 system, all alarm monitoring was consolidated in the 911 dispatch center. As part of the consolidation the contractual obliga- tions of the municipalities visa-vis an existing contract with Alarms and pro- tectivelServices, Inc. (APS), were assumed by Orange County. This arrange- ment called for the provision by APS of alarm monitoring equipment to the 911 Center and for Orange County Central Communications to directly monitor this equipment using County personnel. The equipment tied into the homes and businesses who were subscribers of APS's services. In March, 1983, with this contract due to expire, the Board moved to renew it until March, 1984, with the intention that at that time the County should cease the direct monitoring of alarm systems through this kind of third party arrangement. The primary reason for the Boards action was due to its con- cern abqut the County's liability in alarm monitoring. Regards Tess of who has responsibility for alarm-monitoring (county personnel or a prilvate firm), it can be assumed that businesses and private residences will continue to utilize alarm systems, and the County, as part of its 911 function', will continue to retain its responsibility for dispatch of emergency services' in response to alarm calls. � 1