CONTRACT WITH THE CITY OF EL SEGUNDO TO PROVIDE 
PUBLIC SAFETY COMMUNICATIONS AND DISPATCHING SERVICES

 

GENERAL SUMMARY:

In 1995, the cities of El Segundo, Manhattan Beach and Hermosa Beach commissioned a comprehensive study of the feasibility of consolidating their police and fire communications functions. While the study by the Aerospace Corporation revealed the project to be feasible from an operational perspective, the financial viability of such a project at that time was not positive because it was too costly, City Council approved $22,500 to pay for the study at their regular meeting on March 14, 1995.

Based on the Warner Group, Management Consultant firm recommendations to the City of El Segundo in 1998 to assess public safety communications dispatch center alternatives, the City of El Segundo directed their staff to present to the cities of Hermosa Beach and Manhattan Beach a proposal to offer public safety dispatch services.

In November, 1999, the City of Hermosa Beach received a formal proposal from the City of El Segundo to provide a contractual offer for dispatch services. Staff, in response, developed an administrative report to city council for review at their Annual Goal Setting Meeting on February 17, 2000. The item was then prepared for consideration at a regularly scheduled council meeting. The Administrative Report is attached to this agenda item.

Since receipt of the El Segundo proposal, representatives from each of the agencies have met on a regular basis and explored the issue from operational, governance, financial perspective and transitional matters. The findings and results of that continued feasibility study are contained in the attachment to the report. The findings are positive and the operational, financial and service aspects of such an undertaking are thoroughly addressed in the report.

Comparative analysis of costs of a consolidated communications center versus a stand-alone operation has likewise been completed and is included in the attachment to this report. An economy of scale in consolidating the communi-cations units has been received.

 

RECOMMENDATION:

It is recommended that the City Council:

1. Approve staff recommendation to contract with the City of El Segundo to provide public safety communications and dispatch services.
2. Authorize the Mayor to sign the agreement for dispatch services and frequency sharing.
3. Authorize the payment of an annual fee based on the DMG Maximus Fee Schedule in the proposal, based on calls for service and overall use and workload placed on the dispatch center. The projected fee for FY 2000-01 is $426,005.
4. Authorize the City Manager to appropriate $34,500 from contingency funds for any transitional costs to upgrade existing radio equipment infrastructure.

 

ALTERNATIVE ACTIONS:

1. Reject the proposal to consolidate communications units and continue to function as a stand-alone communications dispatch operation.  However, this is not recommended by staff as it discounts cost-savings and improved services.
2. Select one of two proposals submitted by the City of El Segundo or the South Bay Regional Communications Center (RCC). It is recommended by staff that Council select the City of El Segundo proposal because it meets the existing and future requirements for Public Safety Dispatching for the City of Hermosa Beach as enumerated in the attached study.

 

The RCC maintains technology that will not improve dispatch services and is yet to address future financial uncertainties.

 

FISCAL IMPACT

OPERATIONAL COSTS

Comparative cost analysis for the project is included in the attachments. During first Fiscal Year 2000/2001, the city would have an estimated savings of $103,188. Projected annual savings thereafter for operations are estimated at more than $100,000 a year.

 

EQUIPMENT COSTS

Equipment costs would be $34,500 in Fiscal Year 1999/2000 for a Fire Department VHF Repeater. Sufficient funds exist for this proposal in Prospective Expenditures.

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