The following represents an unofficial account of the significant items discussed and/or voted upon during the February 10, 2014 City Council Regular Meeting. The complete agenda packet as well as a video (which you can now fast forward and rewind through after the initial minutes have played) of the meeting can be viewed here. Draft meeting minutes will be posted at the city website as part of the March 2014 Regular Meeting Agenda packet.
Note: A special meeting of the Oak Ridge Emergency Communication District Board of Directors occurred just prior to this meeting. There was one item on the agenda: A resolution authorizing the expenditure of up to $481,567 from the 911 Budget for the purchase of dispatch equipment as part of the state’s new 911 network (Next Generation 911) Motion passed unanimously 5-0 (Hope & Mosby were absent but both were in attendance at the regular meeting)
This expenditure, though not budgeted for, will be reimbursed 100% by the state. Details on the Emergency Communications District (ECD) Fund is found within the city’s 2014 finalized budget on p VI-29. Additional details are provided at the end of this post.
VII. CONSENT AGENDA 5 items passed by unanimous vote; 3 were removed
e. Resolution approving bylaws of the Oak Ridge Land Bank Corporation
f. Resolution authorizing transfer of tax equivalents from the electric & waterworks funds to the General Fund for distribution to the City of Oak Ride and Anderson & Roane Counties
Removed Items
a. Approval of January 13, 2014 city council meeting minutes. Amendment requested by Baughn to correct her vote on dissolving the Highland View Redevelopment Advisory board from nay to yes. Motion passed unanimously
g. Resolution authorizing the city to apply for a TDOT grant through the Knoxville TPO for Federal Congestion Mitigation and Air Quality Improvement program funds in the amount of $250-$300K. Motion passed unanimously
If awarded, this grant would be funded 100% with no matching requirements of the city. The primary goal of the study is to achieve synchronization of the main intersection traffic signals.
h. Resolution authorizing ADFAC to submit on the city’s behalf a grant application to the TN Housing Development Agency for 2014 Home Grant Program Funds to promote the rehabilitation of housing for low-income households not to exceed $500K. Motion passed 6-0 with Baughn abstaining.
After a brief discussion with Mayor Beehan about his role on the ADFAC Board of Directors and the possibility that his role on their housing committee could put him in a position to vote on decisions regarding these monies, I did not feel comfortable supporting this motion.
VIII. RESOLUTIONS
- Resolution awarding a bid in the amount of $486,808 to Spillman Technologies for integrated software, hardware and technical support for the police department. Motion passed unanimously
Council was briefed on this purchase at the January work session (read here). To summarize, the current software dates back 15 years, became problematic with the last upgrade when it no longer properly communicated with TBI databases and the fix would have cost the city over $300,000. This software will provide a more comprehensive records management solution that fully integrates with the RAIDS online program, our court system, our remote units and other platforms. It will greatly increase efficiencies (i.e. it has the potential to reduce the records keeper’s processing time by as much as half). The licenses are unlimited for life (a HUGE savings) and annual maintenance costs are half that of the previous software which will produce a savings of $40K per year. Implementation is expected to be complete by January 2015. Primary funding source will be the city’s Equipment Replacement Fund with supplemental monies coming from the Drug Fund and an E-911 grant.
I noted that with tonight’s two items and the two major purchases council approved in November for the ORPD (patrol cars and additional E911 equipment) that in a three month period, we’d approved a total of $1.5 MILLION in additional funds for the ORPD whose annual budget is roughly $6.3M. Because the selling point of much of these expenditures is increased efficiency and because those efficiencies translate into money saved, I encouraged Chief Akagi to bring us a budget next year that allows for the two additional SROs he has recommended. (A cost of less than $100K should be easily achievable given the 25% above budget he has been granted IMHO)
IX. PUBLIC HEARINGS AND FIRST READING OF ORDINANCES
First Reading of an Ordinance
Amendment to Title 3 Municipal Court code by creating a new chapter entitled “Administrative Hearing Officer” to create an Administrative Hearing Officer Position. Motion passed unanimously
XI. ELECTIONS/APPOINTMENTS
- Appoint (1) applicant to the Trade Licensing Board for a term ending December 31, 2016 passed by acclamation
- Appoint (3) members of council to the city attorney and city manager evaluation committee. Motion passed unanimously
- Appoint (1) member of council to the Youth Advisory Board (YAB) Motion to appoint Hope passed unanimously
Email discussion regarding the Oak Ridge Emergency Communication District Board of Directors special meeting:
From: Watson, Mark [mailto:MWatson@oakridgetn.gov]
Sent: Saturday, February 08, 2014 7:27 PM
To: Trina Baughn (trina.baughn@gmail.com)
Cc: Hope, Chuck; Jane Miller (Comcast); Mosby, David; Anne Garcia Garland; LCharlesHensley; Beehan, Tom
Subject: Question on 911 equipment
Trina: The following information is from the Police and Finance Departments in answer to your question regarding the funding for 911 equipment. I hope this helps your understanding of how this works where funding is generated through 911 fees on individual phone bills to help defray the costs of the 911 systems throughout the state. We have not made any purchases for a number of years, so our funding has grown allowing us to purchase this equipment.
The funding for the dispatch equipment is coming from a state grant through the TN Emergency Communications Board. The state board sets aside grant funding for each of the E911 districts, like the City. This grant is coming from the city’s grant allotment and is restricted to certain types of expenditures. Equipment items costing over $5,000 will be capitalized in the ECD fund.
The Tennessee Emergency Communication Board (TECB) has arranged grant funding and reimbursement for the Oak Ridge Emergency Communication District (ECD)in the amount of $679,627.55 for Next Generation 911 (NG911) controller and equipment. $229,627.55 of those funds are to be used for purchase and installation of a new NG911 Controller.
$450,000.00 of those funds are to be used for necessary adjunct equipment for the NG911 ECD. Those purchases include, Computer Aided Dispatch Software (CAD), security measures, dispatch furniture and related electronics equipment.
The police department is using the funds from the Emergency Communications Fund 23100 and the current balance is $953,334.34.
Upon delivery of equipment and invoices received and paid, a copy of the invoice and copy of the check will be sent to the TECB for reimbursement.
The Chief has had numerous contacts with Jay Goldman of the TECB and he is waiting for our invoices to arrive. The police department is waiting for AT&T to send an invoice for the positron Viper Controller which was approved and received. It is pending installation.
ORPD has also received and installed our recorder. Once the City files for the reimbursement of the controller, we will be allowed to file for all other reimbursements as directed by the TECB.
By approving the expenditure of the TECB Grant monies, we will be able to contract the electrical needs, purchase and install security measures for identified ECD weaknesses, purchase and install dispatch consoles and install the new controller/upgrade as required by the TECB.
Mark Watson
City Manager
Trina Baughn 
hi very good post