BRAZOS VALLEY COUNCIL OF GOVERNMENTS

BRAZOSVALLEY WIDE AREA COMMUNICATIONS SYSTEM

OPERATING BOARD NOTES

December 15, 2008 @ 9:00 am

Members Present BVCOG Staff Present

Ricky Boeker Linda McGuill

Michael HareLester Bashaw

Jerry HenrySue Lawrence

Ron Mayworm Deborah Krusekoff

Ben Roper Anita Pitt

Guest Present

Jim Sheldon

Lloyd Waugh

Chair Ben Roper called the meeting to order at 9:12 am. There werenot enough members present to have a quorum, Ben asks for everyone to go over the minutes, but table for approval at a future meeting.

Linda McGuill introduced Anita Pitt, who is the BVCOG 911program manager, to to talk about a 911 – Next Generation project. Anita told the committee how the state wants to put together a Regional Emergency Service IT Network (ESI Net) so 911 calls can flow with text data, pictures and video.

Anita is talking to a consulting firm to do an RFP. She is looking for grant funds to help with this project. Linda McGuill said that the Emergency InteroperableCommunications Grant is for planning and that grant could be used. The amount needed now is around $32,000.00.

Ben Roper ask the committee to make introductions.

Item 4 – PSIC Grant status; Ron Mayworm said that the template that the state wantedus to present our Implementation Plan has changed and is going to be simpler. Ron said the computer system that the state uses, SPARS, K2 Share has lost its contract with the state and will end March 31, 2009. The new system is supposed to be able to pick up all inputs from SPARS. The PSIC grant cannot be extended and the SAA is well aware of this. Ron said that we are well ahead of most everyone else in the state. Ron said we are very close to being able to put in everything that we need. Lloyd Waugh from Motorola said he has the equipment list but hasn’t been approved yet. He is hoping to get that approved next week.

Item 5 – Tower inspection RFQ status; Ron said they will be sending out a request for qualifications to go out to engineering firms. He gave an example of the RFQ to the committee. The firm must fill out the Statement of Qualifications (SOQs) and return by January 13, 2009 at 2:00 pm. This project is to inspect four towers in Brazos and WashingtonCounties.

Item 6 – Harris County RRS agreement; Ron said that the technical committee met with HarrisCounty on October 13, 2008. The purpose of the meeting was to clarify some of the technical attachment that was with this agreement. The meeting went very well, Ron said he has no doubt that they are very capable and Ron said that we are in excellent hands. Ben Roper ask Ron to send the agreement draft out to the committee and make any changes, additions or questions and have them back to Ron by close of day January 9, 2009. This committee will meet on January 13, 2009 to go over the revisions and also the RFQ for engineering firms.

Item 7 – Quarterly capital and operating costs – Linda McGuill gave a hand out on the quarterly statement from 9/1/2008 – 12/31/2008. Linda said that due to not having a Radio Systems Manager there was a surplus of $37,037.50 which will roll over to the next quarter.

Item 8 – City of College Station system review report; Ben Roper said the city received the report from there consultant RCC in working with the city on the covered challenges that they have with their existing system. RCC’s recommendations are two fold, raising the Millican tower 200 feet. BrazosCounty owns that tower, so City of College Station will approach BrazosCounty to see if they will negotiate. Ben doesn’t know if that will be City of College Station to BrazosCounty agreement or what part BVWACS plays as an entity.

The other part of the recommendation is to further fill areas to the south where we have challenges to establish another site, either on city property or lease tower space in the vicinity of the speedway. Internally we are going to approach our water department about the Greens Prairie water tower to see about mounting on it. This report is preliminary and has to be approved by the city.

Ben told the committee that the interview committee had completed theirjob search and made a recommendation to and approved by the Governing Board. Ron Mayworm was offered and accepted the position of Radio Systems Manager for BVWACS. He will start on or before January 15, 2009.

Item 9 – Schedule future meetings

  • January 13, 2009 @ 1:30pm

Meeting adjourned at 10:35am