10-11-71 Council Meeting Minutes

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REGULAR MEETING OCTOBER 11, 1971 REGULAR MEETING (Cont.) COMMITTEE OF THE WHOLE MEETING (Cont.) ORDINANCE (Cont.) "To: Common Council Subject: Additional Appropriation - Telephone and Telegraph FROM THE OFFICE OF THE CONTROLLER The appropriation for telephones was $30,000 in 1970 which was insufficient. and December bills were paid in 1971 ($5,100) which, of course, shorted this priation to pay this year's bills. This was forecast last year in preparing get resulting in an increase to $36,000; however, this amount was not enough. year, we requested and received budgetary approval for an increase in 1972 to M The November year's appro- the 1971 bud - Again this $39,000. The amount herein requested, $7,000.00, was projected and included in "line 3" of the General Fund tax computation for 1972. Required: 4 months C $3,500 per month $14,000 Present balance 7,000 Net required $ 7;000 /s/ James A. Bickel It James A. Bickel of Miss Guthrie questioned where the money would come from. Mr. Bickel explained the original budget figure reads $73,500 which is ample. Councilman Janet Allen said that there were 8 phones in the Council Complex which were not all needed. She stated she felt money could be saved by disconnecting 6 of these 8 phones, leaving only two for the Council's use. Mr. Bickel agreed and suggested that a memo be directed to Mr. Forrest West, Building Commissioner, from the Council to remove these phones. Councilman Reinke 'suggested that a review of the number of phones and extensions be taken for the remaining 3 months of this year to see what savings could be realized and asked Mr. Bickel to instigate such a survey. Mr. Bickel agreed. Councilman Craven moved that this ordinance go to the Council as favorable, seconded by Councilman Laven. Motion carried. ORDINANCE AN ORDINANCE FOR AN ADDITIONAL APPROPRIATION IN THE AMOUNT OF $1,500.00 FROM THE GENERAL FUND TO ACCOUNT W -37, "OTHER SUPPLIES ", IN THE RADIO DEPARTMENT, SAID ACCOUNT BEING WITHIN THE GENERAL FUND. This being the time heretofore set for public hearing on the above ordinance, proponents and opponents were given an opportunity to be heard thereon. Mr. John V. Hunt, Communications Superintendent, read the following letter concerning this transfer of funds: " To justify the Radio Department's request for additional funds in W -37 (Other Supplies) for the balance of the year of 1971, I submit the following information, which, though not entirely comprehensive and complete, still indicates the many and varied parts and costs thereof needed to maintain the many pieces of electronic equipment used by some of the city's emergency and service departments. Many of the components listed may be obtained locally, but a significant number of parts are of a proprietary nature and must be ob- tained in sufficient quantities from the source that only the manufacturers of the dif- ferent equipment provide. The Radio Department of the City of South Bend maintains over 400 pieces of two -way radio equipment, each of which is type accepted and approved by the Federal Communications Commission and must be maintained in accordance with certain rules and regulations set forth by the Commission pertaining to strict standards of operation. Repairs, adjustments, and specific and periodic measurements with regularly calibrated devices must be done by, or under the direct supervision of, a licensed technician, and such work information must be entered in an orderly -kept maintenance log for inspection by FCC Inspectors on demand. This two -way equipment is broken down in the following categories, along with some brief, pertinent information: A. Three hundred and thirty -three Mobiles, which vary in power output from fifteen watts up to eighty watts, and which are composed of electronic items and hardware ranging in costs of from eighteen cents up to fifty dollars per item. Not all units must be kept in 'stock; judgement, based on past experience, must be relied upon to dictate what items should be kept in an inventory. B. Sixty -six Portable units with power output of from 1.2 watts up to approximately 5 watts. Component prices are in the same range, or slightly higher than those used in Mobiles. Rechargeable batteries (2 or 3 per radio) are priced at from thirty -eight to fifty dollars each and can normally be expected to have a useful life span of no more than fifteen months. C. Nine Base Stations of from fifty to one hundred and ten watts of output power, with appreciable higher component costs than the above units. (Letter continued on next page) C J 1 1