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ORANGE COUNTY <br />BOARD OF COMMISSIONERS <br />ACTION AGENDA ITEM ABSTRACT <br />Meeting Date: May 17, 2005 <br />Action Agenda <br />Item No. __~_ <br />SUBJECT: Authorize Application for U.S. Department of Justice, COPS Program <br />Technology Grant and Accept Grant Award <br />DEPARTMENT: Emergency Management PUBLIC HEARING: (Y/N) No <br />ATTACHMENT(S): <br />Grant Application Packet <br />(under separate cover) <br />INFORMATION CONTACT: <br />Jack Ball, ext 3030 <br />TELEPHONE NUMBERS: <br />Hillsborough 732-8181 <br />Chapel Hill 968-4501 <br />Durham 688-7331 <br />Mebane 336-227-2031 <br />PURPOSE: To authorize the Department of Emergency Management to submit an application <br />for earmarked funding from the U,S, Department of Justice Office of Community Policing <br />Services (COPS) Technology grant program and accept the grant award once it is approved, <br />BACKGROUND: In Spring 2004, the County Commissioners requested assistance from <br />Congressman David Price in trying to obtain federal funding for priority County projects <br />including water and wastewater treatment systems and 9-1-1 communications infrastructure <br />upgrades, The County received notice in November 2004 that the County would receive nearly <br />$500,000 in EPA fianding for water/wastewater assistance and nearly $150,000 in Community <br />Oriented Policing Services (COPS) funding towards 911 console replacements, The United <br />States Department of .Justice Office of Community Policing Services annually awards funding to <br />entities far the purpose of assisting law enforcement operations throughout the country. The <br />funding is now awarded through congressional earmarks. U,S. Representative David Price (D- <br />4th District) was able to secure funding for upgrades to the 9-1-1 Center during the FY 2005 <br />Consolidated Appropriations Bill, <br />The legal applicant for the grant is the Orange County Sheriffs Office due to the nature of the <br />fiscal programming of the Department of Justice, However, because the 9-1-1 Center is housed <br />within the Department of Emergency Management, an agreement has been reached between <br />the two departments that Emergency Management will be the applying agency and the Sheriffs <br />Office will support the application as needed during the grant process, Staff have been <br />developing the grant application package (under separate cover) for the past several months, <br />The grant earmark is for $150,000 that will be used to upgrade communications equipment that <br />will be compatible with the 800 MHz partnership system being implemented by the State, Even <br />