Minutes 04-12-2022 Budget Work Session-CIP

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26 already knows emergency services cannot communicate inside those facilities because the radios will not work. He said the only way to solve that problem was to build new towers and that gets quite expensive. He said that this proposal would resolve that inability to communicate in critical facilities like schools over the next four to five years, while continuing to work on on street coverage. Commissioner Fowler asked if towers are public or private. Kirby Saunders said both private and stated-owned VIPER towers are used. He said there are 3 or 4 towers in Orange County and the rest are located in surrounding counties. Chair Price asked why more money isn't being spent sooner to address communication gaps. Kirby Saunders said staff wants to complete benchmark testing first and be sure of individual needs at each of the schools to prioritize accordingly. Chair Price asked if this will all be done prior to next school year. She said it sounds like immediate need. Kirby Saunders said the benchmark testing could likely be completed by then, but the timeline of installation is unknown. He said the benchmarking and installation are two separate projects. Commissioner Hamilton thanked staff for prioritizing schools. She asked if the equipment can be moved. Kirby Saunders said yes. Commissioner Bedford asked if hospitals have capability. Kirby Saunders said newly constructed areas of hospitals are on the VIPER network and that UNC Hospitals also has a law enforcement agency inside of it that operates on the State VIPER network so he does not belive there are any communications issues inside of the facilities at UNC Hospitals. Commissioner Bedford asked if rehab centers and nursing homes present an issue as well. Kirby Saunders said that is not currently in the study, but can be. He said they have not identified any that have no communication. Bonnie Hammersley said those facilities are privately owned as well, so the property owner would have to do that.