HomeMy WebLinkAbout5B Outdoor Warning Sirens
4646 Dakota Street SE
Prior Lake, MN 55372
CITY COUNCIL AGENDA REPORT
MEETING DATE: February 6, 2012
AGENDA #: 5 B
PREPARED BY : Randy Hofstad , Police Lieutenant
PRESENTED BY: Randy Hofstad
AGENDA ITEM: Consider Approval of a Resolution Awarding Bid and Authorizing the Mayor
and City Manager to Enter into the City’s Standardized Contract for u pgra d-
ing Prior Lake’s Outdoor Emergency Warning Sirens.
DISCUSSION: Introduction
The purpose of this agenda item is to receive City Council approval to proceed
with the lowest bid submitted to upgrade the City’s 15 ou tdoor warning sirens.
History
The Federal Communications Commission (FCC) has mandated that all Public
Safety radios, Public Safety paging systems and Public Safety warning siren
equip m e nt currently operating at a wideband (25 kHz) are required to switch to a
narrowband (12.5 kHz).
The reasons given for the switch is because it will ensure more efficient use of the
radio spectrum, relieve congestion, and result in i n creased availability for other
radio systems. This change needs to occur by January 1, 2013.
This mandated change directly affects Prior Lake’s outdoor warning sirens radio
systems. No other Prior Lake Public Safety radio equipment is affected.
The Council previously approved accepting grant money from Scott County ’s
Emergency Management Office to assist in this project. The County had applied
for and received grant money from Minnesota Homeland Security Emergency
Management. The purpose of the grant money is to assist communities in offse t-
ting the costs associated with the repair or replacement of warning sirens. Prior
Lake’s total reimbursement under this agre e ment shall not exceed $12,609.75 or
$840.65 per siren. This reimbursement is consistent with every other city in Scott
County.
Current Circumstances
Prior Lake currently has 15 outdoor warning sirens in our system with all of them
needing to be upgraded. The sirens range in age from 1990 to 2007 and , because
of that, require different levels of upgrades to make them narrowband compatible.
The older sirens cost more to update th an the newer ones.
We have a current low bid of $28,400. 4 0 to upgrade all fifteen sirens. The above
mention ed grant will reduce the City’s net costs to $15,790. 6 5. The grant revenue
is included in the 2012 General Fund budget. The expenditures to upgra de the
sirens are included in the 2012 General Fund E mergency M anagement budget.
Every C ity siren is a Federal brand siren. I was able to a c quire two bids, with one
of the bids coming directly from Federal Signal Corporation. The other bid , and
lowest, came from Ready Watt Electric. They have installed all of the City’s sirens
and currently do all of the repairs and maintenance on our sirens and are a trusted
vend o r. They are also doing the same work in several cities and counties
through out the state of Minnesota and western Wisconsin and were recommended
by Federal. During this process I worked closely with the Savage Emergency
Manager to interview p rospective vendo rs and solicit bids.
Conclusion
There is no question that the Cit y needs to upgrade its outdoor warning sirens r a-
dio system to ensure they continue to operate and be available when needed.
The City has already accepted grant monies and budgeted for these upgrades in
the 2012 budget .
ISSUES: It should be noted that all of the warning sirens in the City’s system are activated
by the Scott County Sheriff’s Department through their dispatch office. Because of
that, we have to time any upgrades we do with the upgrades they need to co m-
plete to their system. Dispatch is now ready to accept the upgrades.
Agencies that do not meet the January 1, 2013, deadline face the loss of comm u-
nication capabilities. In addition to that, “Unauthorized wideband operation after
this date in violation of the Commission’s rules may subjec t licenses to enforc e-
ment action, including monetary forfeitures or license revocation.”
FINANCIAL As stated above, we have a current low bid of $28,400. 4 0 to upgrade all 15 sirens.
IMPACT:
That cost is reduced by the grant for $12,609.75. T he Ci ty’s net cost of upgrading
the outdoor warning sirens will be $15 , 790. 6 5.
ALTERNATIVES: 1. Adopt the resolution aw arding bid and authorizing the Mayor and City Manager
to enter into the City’s standardized contract to up g rade the outdoor warning
sirens .
2. Deny the proposed resolution.
3. Other action as directed by the City Council.
RECOMMENDED The staff recommends alternative #1.
MOTION:
2
4646 Dakota Street SE
Prior Lake, MN 55372
RESOLUTION 1 2 - XX
A RESOLUTION AWARDING BID AND AUTHORIZING THE MAYOR AND CITY MANAGER
TO ENTER INTO THE CITY’S STANDARDIZED CONTRACT TO UPGRADE THE CITY’S
O UTDOOR EMERGENCY WARNING SIRENS
WHEREAS,
the FCC has mandated that Public Safety radios be switched from a wideband frequency
to a narrowband frequency by January 1, 2013 ; and
WHEREAS
, the C ity needs to upgrade their outdoor warning sirens to ensure that they will continue to
work without interruption ; and
WHEREAS,
the C ity received a low bid of $28,400 .40 from Ready Watt Electric to complete the
upgrades ; and
WHEREAS,
on September 19, 2011, the Mayor and City council approved a grant in the amount of
$12,609 .75 for this project; and
WHEREAS,
the 2012 General Fund Emergency Management Department budget includes $28,400 to
complete this project.
NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED BY THE CITY COUNCIL OF PRIOR LAKE, MINNESOTA
THAT :
1. The recitals set forth above are incorporated herein.
2. The bid is awarded to The Ready Watt Electric to upgrade Prior Lake’s 15 outdoor emergency
warning sirens and the Mayor and City M anager ar e authorized to enter into the C ity’s standardized
agreement therefore .
th
Adopted this 6 day of February 201 2 .
Yes No
Myser Myser
Erickson Erickson
Hedberg Hedberg
Keeney Keeney
Soukup Soukup
_________________________________
City Manager, City of Prior Lake