FINANCIAL BUSINESS REQUEST (FBR)
Motion/Request:
title
MOTION to appropriate $13,000 to Account #21020301-57300-G0015 (Fire Marshall - New Equipment - State Grant).
In addition, authorize the expenditure of up to $13,000 for replacement of copper cable running to the Emergency Operations Center (EOC) with fiber cable.
The funding source for this project is the Town of Ledyard’s FY 2023 Nuclear Safety Emergency Program Funding Allocation (2022-44).
end
Background:
See attached letter from James Mann, Emergency Management Director and Fire Marshall to Mike Caplet at the State Division of Emergency Management and Homeland Security.
Department Comment/Recommendation:
(type text here)
Finance Director Comment/Recommendation:
This is a reimbursement-based grant.
Mayor Comment/Recommendation:
(type text here)
Meeting Action Detail:
Town Council Meeting 03/08/2023
File #: 231274 Version: 1
Type: Financial Business Request (FBR)
Title:
MOTION to appropriate $13,000 to Account #21020301-57300-G0015 (Fire Marshall - New Equipment - State Grant).
In addition, authorize the expenditure of up to $13,000 for replacement of copper cable running to the Emergency Operations Center (EOC) with fiber cable.
The funding source for this project is the Town of Ledyard’s FY 2023 Nuclear Safety Emergency Program Funding Allocation (2022-44).
Moved: Saums Seconded: Ryan
Action: Approved
Minute Note:
Moved by Councilor Saums, seconded by Councilor Ryan
Discussion: Councilor Saums stated last year the town received Nuclear Safety Emergency Funding for the technology upgrades at the Emergency Operations Center Technology (EOC). However, he stated because they were still having issues with the data flow to the Connecticut Educational Network Fiber (CEN) that Director of Emergency Management Jim Mann worked to investigate the source of the connectivity issues and found that when they moved the School’s Management Information Systems Room (MIS) to its new location, about ten years ago, to provide space for the relocation the Emergency Operations Center to the High School that 165-foot section of the line was copper cable instead of fiber, which was the source of their data flow problems with the CEN connection to the EOC.
Councilor Saums stated in soliciting quotes to address the problem that Mr. Mann was able to get two venders to come look at the project. He stated although both vendors provided a quote that only one vendor, CBS Company, was willing to take on the project to replace the copper cable with a fiber, explaining that the second vendor stated because they would not interface with other persons work they were not willing to take this project explaining that they had proprietary equipment.
Councilor Saums went on to state that in a letter dated February 23, 2023 that Mr. Mann appealed to the Nuclear Safety Emergency Program (NSEP) to request $13,000 for the necessary upgrades to replace the copper cable with fiber in the Emergency Operations Center. He stated the NSEP Region 4 replied to his letter in an e-mail stating that they would provide 100% reimbursement to the town for the cost to correct the issue. He noted that Director of Emergency Management Jim Mann was present this evening via Zoom if anyone had any questions.
Director of Emergency Management Jim Mann stated because the second vendor was proprietary that going forward they would be the only vendor who could work on the line going forward. Therefore, he stated that he believed using the vendor who used universal equipment was the best approach for the town, noting that anyone could work on it going forward if they were to have any issues. He stated the Nuclear Safety Emergency Program (NSEP) has agreed to refund the town 100% for the cost to replace the copper cable with fiber to correct the connectivity issue. He stated the town would be required to pay the bill upfront and that once he submitted the invoice to NSEP that they would refund the town for 100% of the cost.
Chairman Dombrowski stated that he agreed with Mr. Mann’s approach not to use a sole source propriety vendor, when they had the option of using universal vendor. He stated that he appreciated Mr. Mann’s efforts to upgrade the technology at the Emergency Operations Center (EOC), noting that he has been working on this for quite a while.
Mr. Mann stated with the completion of the Emergency Operations Center (EOC) technology upgrades that all communications in town would now be together, explaining that the EOC could pick-up for Ledyard Dispatch and vice versa, or should the Dispatch Communications transmitters go down they could use the EOC transmitters, etc. He stated it was a great set-up.
VOTE: 7 - 0 Approved and so declared
Action: Approved
______________________________________________________________________
Finance Committee Meeting 03/01/2023:
File #: 231274 Version: 1
Type: Financial Business Request (FBR)
Title:
MOTION to appropriate $13,000 to Account #21020301-57300-G0015 (Fire Marshall - New Equipment - State Grant).
In addition, authorize the expenditure of up to $13,000 for replacement of copper cable running to the Emergency Operations Center (EOC) with fiber cable.
The funding source for this project is the Town of Ledyard’s FY 2023 Nuclear Safety Emergency Program Funding Allocation (2022-44).
Moved: Ingalls Seconded: Saums
Action: Recommend to Approve
Minute Note:
Moved by Councilor Ingalls, seconded by Councilor Saums
Discussion: Director of Emergency Management Jim Mann explained that last year they received Nuclear Safety Emergency Funding for the Emergency Operations Center Technology (EOC) Upgrades. However, he stated they were still having issues with the data flow to the Connecticut Educational Network Fiber (CEN) connection in the school’s main data room. He stated their investigation found that about ten-years ago when the moved the School’s Management Information Systems Room (MIS) to its new location to provide space for the relocation the Emergency Operations Center at the High School that for some unknown reason staff did not complete this section in fiber but instead used copper cable for a 165-foot section, which was the source of their data flow problems with the CEN connection to the EOC.
Mr. Mann went on to explain they were only able to get two venders to come look at the project to provide a quote to replace the copper cable with fiber for the entire run from the data room to the EOC. However, he stated only one vendor, CBS Company, provided a quote, noting that the second vendor stated because they would not interface with other persons work they were not willing to take this project, explaining that they had proprietary equipment.
Mr. Mann continued by noting in a letter dated February 23, 2023 he appealed to the Nuclear Safety Emergency Program (NSEP) to request $13,000 for the necessary upgrades to replace the copper cable with fiber in the Emergency Operations Center. He stated that he included some contingency in the request in case other issues were found during project. He stated the NSEP Region 4 replied to his letter in an e-mail stating that they would provide 100% reimbursement the town for the cost to correct the issue.
VOTE: 2 - 0 Approved and so declared
Action: Recommend to Approve