Dane County Board Recap – Interoperable Radio System (Dane Com) Part I

February 19, 2010 2:35 pm

I missed the first 15 minutes, I chalk it up to being sick . . . but here’s the rest . . . RTA referendum not enough time, cost-sharing for the radio system passes after a long debate by county board standards.

WHAT I MISSED

A. ROLL CALL – Excuse Supervisors O’Loughlin & Solberg
1. Prayer/Inspirational Message – Supervisor Hampton (Supervisor Hendrick next)
2. Pledge of Allegiance – Supervisor Hampton

B. SPECIAL MATTERS AND ANNOUNCEMENTS
1. Res. 278, 09-10 – Honoring Bob McDonald, MPO Director on his Retirement
2. Announcements

C. APPROVAL OF BILLS & ACCOUNTS
1. Claims Recommended for Approval
Moved by Al Matano, seconded by Denise Duranczyk. No discussion, passes by unanimous consent.

E. CONSENT CALENDAR
1. Res. 236, 09-10 – Authorizing Submission of Application for Participation in the Wisconsin Small Cities Community Development Block Grant Emergency Assistance Program (Adopt)
2. Res. 237, 09-10 – Accepting Donations – Department of Human Services – Badger Prairie (Adopt)
3. Res. 238, 09-10 – Authorization to Purchase and Install AIM Software in Advance of Borrowing (Adopt)
4. Res. 245, 09-10 – Capital Budget Adjustment & Change Order for New Badger Prairie Health Care Center (Adopt)
5. Res. 246, 09-10 – Approving Change Order #31 for Roberts Construction for Direct Purchase of Materials for Badger Prairie Construction (Adopt)
6. Res. 248, 09-10 – Change Order #4 to Contract for the Rhino Exhibit Roof Insulation Project at Zoo (Adopt)
7. Res. 249, 09-10 – Resolution Authorizing the Issuance and Providing for the Sale of Not to Exceed $20,100,000 General Obligation Refunding Bonds, Series 2010A (Adopt)
8. Res. 250, 09-10 – Resolution Authorizing the Issuance and Providing for the Sale of Not to Exceed $12,950,000 General Obligation Refunding bonds, Series 2010B (Adopt)
9. Res. 253, 09-10 – Authorizing the Conveyance of Highway Easement on Land at the Dane County Regional Airport (Adopt)
10. Res. 254, 09-10 – Authorizing Agreement Between Dane County and the Henry Vilas Park Zoological Society (Adopt)

Chair Scott McDonell says E4. is a capital budget amendment and that is now item K5 because it needed a 2/3 vote. On items E 1 – 3 and 5 – 10, Salov separated number one, the rest pass without discussion on a voice vote.

1. Res. 236, 09-10 – Authorizing Submission of Application for Participation in the Wisconsin Small Cities Community Development Block Grant Emergency Assistance Program (Adopt)
Bob Salov asks for an explanation about why we submitted affordable housing applications but the money is not being granted, why does it say both? Was the application before or after the public hearing?

Lynn Green says that they applied for the flood money, HUD notified them about people not applying, they reviewed with them that they could add it at the end of the process.

Salov asks if all applicants will be funded and we added it because we had money left.

Green says yes. We did get funding, everything was funded except affrodable housing because Milwaukee did come through with their applications at the last minute and they didn’t have as much to distribute as they thought and then they realized we were talking about affordable housing not in a flood plain and they determined that was ineligible.

Salov wants to make sure applicants that went through local hearings won’t be hurt by us adding another million dollar grant at the last minute.

Eileen Bruskewitz abstains.

Passes on a voice vote.

F. MOTIONS FROM PREVIOUS MEETINGS
1. Motion to Withdraw from all Committees, Res. 69, 09-10 – Authorizing and Requiring a Countywide Referendum on the Levying of a Sales Tax to Fund a Dane County Regional transportation Authority (No Recommendation)
McDonell asks the Clerk, based on our rules, if we withdraw this, it would be placed on the next agenda and that would be within the time alloted to get it on the ballot, correct?

Bob Ohlsen, County Clerk, explains that state laws requires the question to be in their office 42 days prior to the election. So that would not be enough time.

Chair McDonell says he may rule it out of order, but wants to allow her to speak to it, so he calls on her.

Bruskewitz says that by having it taken up at the last meeting it would be too late.

Ohlsen says yes.

Bruskewitz says she has tried hard, many times to get this question before the public, should Dane County have a commuter train system, and apparently she may have missed this by a few days, but its unfortunate, because she would like county board members to give the public a chance. She thinks that the RTA was formed in a way that was under the radar and public did not have a chance to participate fully and the governors veto of having a referenda in the state statute was a terribly unfortunate thing because it took the voice of the people away. She had hoped this resolution would have allowed this county board to give the public a chance to speak about increasing the sales tax and what kind of transportation we should have into the future. We have a tremendous amount of debt, we have an economy not doing well and people of Dane County should have had an opportunity to weigh in on this. The first meeting of the RTA is on March the 4th in room 315 here in City County building and if you have concerns about how it will operate, what taxation, what bonding,what heir bylaws, how they should operate, this is another chance for the public to weight in on it and failure to do so would be an expensive mistake for Dane County.

McDonell asks if she wants to withdraw her motion or does she want him to rule it?

Bruskewitz says he should rule it.

McDonell rules it out of order.

Brett Hulsey gets called on to talk about the ruling. He says he supports the ruling and urges people to remember that resolution 1 of the RTA requires a referendum on the sales tax and gives people a voice once we have a plan developed.

Mark Opitz says that he thought Bruskewitz said the meeting was on a Wednesday and it is actually on a Thursday.

McDonell says yes, Thursday at 4:30.

G. REPORTS ON ZONING PETITIONS
a. Map of Dane County
b. Summary of Grant as Modified Petitions
1. Petition 10135 – Town of Sun Prairie – Jonathan Mick (Grant)
2. Petition 10167 – Town of York – Eugene Henning (Grant)
3. Petition 10178 – Town of Deerfield – Pooch Le, Blanche C (Grant as Modified)

7:20, they table it until 7:30. He explains that is their rules, but don’t want to do the radio issue and try to get to 7:30 if no objections.

H. ORDINANCES
1. Ord. Amdt. 46, 09-10 – Amending Chapter 10, Regarding Copy Area of Signs (Adopt)
No discussion, passes on voice vote unanimously.

I. AWARD OF CONTRACTS
1. Res. 244, 09-10 – Award of Contract for Elevator Maintenance & Repair Services (Adopt Sub. 1)
No discussion, passes on a voice vote unanimously.

2. Res. 251, 09-10 – Awarding a Collective Bargaining Agreement to the Dane County Deputy Sheriff’s Association, WPPA/LEER (Adopt)
Hendrick says wants to be recorded as voting no. No discussion, passes on a voice vote unanimously.

K. ITEMS THAT REQUIRE A TWO-THIRDS MAJORITY FOR PASSAGE
1. Res. 239, 09-10 – Authorizing Homeland Security Training – Incident Command System (ICS) 300 and 400 Level Courses (Adopt)
2. Res. 240, 09-10 – Authorization for Early Purchase of Vehicles, Equipment, Boat and Radio System Replacement (Adopt/Adopt with Amdts.)
3. Res. 241, 09-10 – Acceptance of a Grant from the U.S. Department of Justice for the Purchase of Body Armor (Adopt)
4. Res. 252, 09-10 – Acceptance of Grant Funds and Establishing an Expenditure Account for the Dane County Institutional Food Market (Adopt with Amdts.)

McDonell says that they will take these 4 items along with resolution 245 that they previously skipped. Vedder separates number 1.

K2 2 – 5 no objection to it being recorded as a unanimous vote.

Emergency Management staff explain that the incident command system has level 300 400 training, this is advanced large scale and disaster training, offered to any public safety agency county wide.

Matano says that as a health care official for State of Wisconsin he has taken the training and this is not just about war on terror but to assist in disasters like Haiti, could be a Badger football game. It helps them figure out how to get 40,000 people in and out of town with 4 or 5 drinks in them – he took the course, study about what if football game and large concert on campus on a weekend. Haiti is a perfect example, when systems break down someone has to take charge. One person would be the command chief, one person in charge of supplies and other aspects of what needs to be done and prioritize things. If a rail car overturns, what is first thing to deal with – wounded or hazardous spill. Complex system, this is good training for typical to complex events, football to Haiti.

Zoning committee recommendations in front of them, they have a speaker on 3, so that is separated. G1 and G2 no discussion and passes.

3. Petition 10178 – Town of Deerfield – Pooch Le, Blanche C (Grant as Modified)
Carl Sindenbrand, in opposition. Attorney with Axley Brynelson, represents owners in 10178. He explains there are two parcels on 1-94 and hwy 73, south of I-94, two parcels separated by 73. They asked it to be zoned commercial to accommodate business moving there and larger parcel on west side have 29 acres, 10 acres to east are C1 and balance A4 because of size, but remain in Ag use. Zoning Committee approved to pass the East 5 – 0 and rejected west side request. Minutes says three issues were conflicts with Deerfield comprehensive plan, large scale intensive development, steep slopes and access through neighboring property. He starts with access, there is a recorded easement which provided absolute guarantee, 66 foot wide route recorded in existence 35 years, they have direct unencumbered access to 72. Regarding the steep slopes, 15 – 20% they are allowable for construction under comprehensive plan and they recognize that they need to address storm water run off and erosion control, in storm water management plan that needs to be given to town before construction can take place. That is consistent with plan. Finally the large scale intensive development language is not applicable, not a proposal for large scale development – that relates to high water usage facilities, they don’t have a high water use facility, this is a small office type facility and agreed with staff that it would be limited to office, warehouse and general business because of maintenance and contract activities. That is consistent with land use and comprehensive plan for Deerfield. Asks that original petition approved or go back to ZLR to make sure they understand the proposal.

No questions.

Patrick Miles says that given that they were not at the committee and provided some information that the committee should consider would like to re-refer.

John Hendrick seconds.

Hendrick supports and want to make sure that they are clear. The board has option to send back and tell ZLR to approve without it coming back, that is not what we are doing. This is a courtesy to listen to additional information, may be convinced at committee level, look at map and it says agricultural preservation area and you don’t expect to see big buildings there.

Passes unanimously.

J. RESOLUTIONS
1. Res. 233, 09-10 – Supporting Cost Sharing and Capacity Principles for a Dane County Interoperable Radio Communications System (Adopt Sub. 1 with Amdts./Adopt Sub. 2 with Amdts.)
McDonell says they are discussing sub 1 with amendments.

Public Testimony
Terry Kringle – Bellville Village President. Wants to clarify that they are one of five villages in favor but had some qualifiers on that. Best method was county pay 100%, truly interoperable system. 2nd was if that did not happen only agree if 75% of eligible municipalities participate, because of costs. It is his understanding that as far as operations and maintenance, some supervisors don’t want to pay entire amount cuz do not use the system very much. If you use that logic, then why not use that for a lot of other things like sheriff department. Belleville has own police department but as taxpayer no relief for seldom using sheriff department. Question is, why not apply to other things. If do that, open up Pandora’s box.

John Davenport, Assistant Chief of Police for City of Madison, lifelong resident of community, 35 years in police department, in support of 233. They are extremely supportive of truly interoperable system, experience when working on foot and in command post in major incidents, communications is a critical component to successful incident. They system is not just for police and fire but transportation and public works that assist in these endeavors. Shares an incident from Halloween 2005, which explains why have to prepare for worst case scenario. He says they had 50 – 70K people on State St. There were 450 law enforcement officers from many jurisdictions, plus Madison fire, he was working the command post and all these incidents all happened in an hour – man with a 9 mm semi automatic gun fully loaded, Wis State trooper involved in shooting incident on southside, full SWAT team response in Southwest corridor, medical emergencies, fire call plus several other fire calls in downtown area, as directing officers to don gear, state trooper went into cardiac arrest. That was what he was aware of, only listening to a couple channels, important to understand the complexities that we face. To have an adequate system for peak hours, there were times when there were busies, that is unacceptable, any one of our personnel could not afford to have a busy, city and county growing, technology changing, cannot develop or maintain a system depending on what happens on an average day, need to be prepared for unexpected, needs system better than today, why cut back from what we have?

Debra Amesqua – Fire Chief for City of Madison, worked for 27 years in fire, 14 as chief for Madison. 1st opportunity to address board, came to express full support for truly inoperable system. They have to interact with many agencies in seamless way. Vitally important to be interconnected when duty calls. No better example the what we saw on CNN in Austin Texas today, the fire chief there is a long time friend and colleague and can’t imagine daunting task she had to day to communicate. Today will be a day she will never forget. They have been involved since day one on what the system should look like, willing to compromise and do our part to make sure this system works, but in some of those courageous conversations, there were cantankerous moments, many times they agreed, and at end of day, all participants agreed must be better than we have today and enhance communication ability on county wide regional basis, important to public safety for all of our communities.

Al Schumacher – Streets Superintendent for City of Madison, most know me as the most disliked man in city during winter, also in support. Also Public Works team leader, City has no director of public works, they work as a team. He says specifically for his agency in Streets, during average snowstorm they have 90 pieces of equipment, they get busy, not just with our own equipment. Blizzard of December communications were inappropriate, not good, because of all other agencies involved needed to use it to. He says there are also storms, wind, flood events, never know when need to get all of team engaged to operate clean up activity, a smaller system than we have no would not suffice. Need to not just interact with public works, but also emergency agencies like police and fire. With a lesser system, we wouldn’t be able to do this. They need to communicate with outside organizations, all would be helpful with the interoperability of a new system. As a public works needs at least 22 channels, all of Dane County needs this system not just Madison.

Joel Plant, speak in support. Assistant to Mayor Dave Cieslewicz, city is in support of 233. You heard from police, fire, public works director, heard about sincere interest in having best most interoperable system, in support of 233. Support interoperable system as principle and regionalism and you’ve heard why, worked hard to reduce problems with Halloween and thanks sheriff for assistance. Willing to migrate to new system, not system with less capacity and service than have today. Spent $10M in past 15 years of city levy money building a 800 MHz system with 23 channels, we do not need to do anything to be compliant with 2013 mandate. Building system for worst day, not average day. Can provide interoperable system for those agencies on it. Sheriff, Monona, Maple Bluff, federal agencies, Shorewood Hills all use the system, been at table from beginning and want to build best system. On number of channels, they removed the telephone interconnect system, don’t need to do that, so to maintain capacity need 22 channels and not lose grade of service. Concerned about continuity of service in communication center at county level, when build it, one communications hub, have talked for some time and would like to see some language assuring continuity for service. We will pay more to get more, they are willing. [I swear that is what he said, later he and McDonell deny it, so not sure what he said.] At same time not interested to pay more to get less. Support 233, other staff here to answer questions.

Registrants
Lens Meyer, McFarland
Ann Angolia
Martin Lamers, Dane County Fire Chiefs Association
Scott Wagner, Dane County Fire Chiefs Associaiton
Kieth Lippert, City of Madison Communications Specialist

Part two here.