09999-10 Appropriation - $900,000 from Excess Welfare Distribution Fund #252 to Upgrade South Bend'0s

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ORDINANCE NO. ~ ~ ~ ~ _ l ~ AN ORDINANCE OF THE COMMON COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF SOUTH BEND, INDIANA, APPROPRIATING $900,000.00 FROM EXCESS WELFARE DISTRIBUTION FUND (#252) TO UPGRADE SOUTH BEND'S PUBLIC SAFETY RADIO SYSTEM TO 800 MEGAHERTZ PER AN AGREEMENT BETWEEN ST. JOSEPH COUNTY AND THE STATE OF INDIANA STATEMENT OF PURPOSE AND INTENT In late 2009 the City of South Bend (South Bend) received from St. Joseph County (County) in the State of Indiana (State) a one time refund amounting to $2,922,079 of unused property tax revenues collected in 2008 originally intended to fund child welfare programs in the county. HEA 1001 legislation passed at the State level included provision that any unused portion of these be returned to the taxing units. As a condition of returning these monies to the individual taxing units, the State enacted legislation required that they be expended solely for public safety purposes. Following State Board of Account instruction, the tax refund was recorded in Fund 252 Excess Welfare Distribution. In December 2009, the St. Joseph County Commissioners entered an agreement with the State to join the "Project Hoosier Safe-T" 800 megahertz (Mhz) statewide radio system. With St. Joseph County's addition to the State communications system, full interoperability among safety responders of the County and cities of South Bend and Mishawaka will be achieved. This will further enable all public safety responders within the St. Joseph County boundaries to cooperate with state, local, and surrounding county police and fire departments, as well as federal agencies, in the face of a massive emergency, and in day to day law enforcement. South Bend's current portable public safety radio system is not compatible with 800 Mhz technology and thus impedes effective interagency communication. To upgrade South Bend's public safety radio system to an 800 Mhz system fully integrated F3~ith that of the County and City of Mishawaka requires an expenditure by South Bend of $900,OC~11.00 as its cooperative share of the cost of (1) upgrading five (5) Safe-T towers by adding twa additional 800 Mhz channels per cell tower, (2) purchasing associated equipment and upgraded software, and (3) purchasing one (1) in-vehicle mobile radio and fifty-two (52) portable radios. The cost for all of these upgrades is being furnished at a competitive discount offerc3 by 'vlotorola because of the County-wide participation. The upgrade process should be completed within approximately fifteen months. NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT ORDAINED by the Common Council of the City of South Bend, Indiana, as follows: