10A Action 2007 0416 - Laserfiche WebLink

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LETTER OF INTENT TO SUPPORT THE FORMATION OF THE EAST BAY REGIONAL COMMUNICATIONS SYSTEM (EBRCS) GOVERNED BY A JOINT POWERS AUTHORITY (JP A) FOR ALAMEDA AND CONTRA COSTA COUNTIES Public Safety representatives from Alameda and Contra Costa Counties have been working to evaluate the feasibility of developing a regional communications system to serve all jurisdictions in both Counties. Through the assistance of the federally funded Urban Area Security Initiative (USAD, a group of technical advisors from the Interoperable Communications Technical Assistance Program (lCT AP) has been working to evaluate different alternatives to achieve the goal of interoperability for the two counties. It is clear from the work ICTAP has completed that the most cost effective and technically superior solution for both counties is to construct a shared two county regional communications system. In order to develop this system, a governance model must be created that will manage the overall system implementation and operations while providing all users a voice in the management of the system. There are several working models throughout the United States where large regional areas have formed regional communication systems and where shared governance has been successful. A task force of public safety representatives from both counties has developed a proposal that creates the East Bay Regional Communications System (EBRCS), a joint powers authority (JP A) with a board of directors with equal representation from both counties that will oversee the fmancial, technical, and operations of the two county communications system. Presentations were made to both Boards of Supervisors and Mayors conferences with unanimous support for the formation of the IPA. While it may be possible to fund a significant portion of the backbone of this system with federal and state grants once the JP A is formed, it will also require ongoing financial contributions from all involved agencies to maintain and replace system components. This responsibility will continue for the life of the EBRCS. Therefore, a dedicated, reliable, funding stream must be identified and collected, on a regular basis. It is now time to gauge the level of interest and the willingness to participate from all local jurisdictions within the two counties. The Task Force has established that the number of radios each jurisdiction will operate on the system will be the method for allocating each jurisdictions share of the infrastructure costs. The Task Force has also agreed that each jurisdiction will be responsible to pay $100 per radio initially as a good faith sign of intent to join. This "Letter of Intent" does not financially bind any jurisdiction beyond the good faith payment, but is necessary in order to begin to develop phasing and cost models for system implementation.