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HomeMy WebLinkAbout101-Staff report.pdf SARATOGA CITY COUNCIL MEETING DATE: April 7, 2010 AGENDA ITEM: DEPARTMENT: City Manager’s Office CITY MANAGER: Dave Anderson PREPARED BY: Dave Anderson DIRECTOR: SUBJECT: Silicon Valley Regional Interoperability Project Joint Powers Authority Agreement RECOMMENDED ACTION: Adopt a Resolution authorizing the City Manager to sign the Joint Powers Agreement to become a member of the Silicon Valley Regional Interoperability Authority (SVRIA) and to sign the Amendment to the Second Amended Joint Funding Agreement (JFA) to allow the JFA and its assets to transition to the Silicon Valley Regional Interoperability Authority JPA. REPORT SUMMARY: Since 2001, Santa Clara County cities and the County of Santa Clara have jointly pursued enhanced and integrated public safety and governmental communications initiatives. The cities and the county have operated together under a Joint Funding Agreement (JFA) as the Silicon Valley Regional Interoperability Project (SVRIP). This collaboration has developed a strategic approach to radio and data interoperability for the county, primarily for public safety communications, and has recently implemented its first major infrastructure project. Additional projects are actively being advanced. Cities and the County have agreed that the JFA structure is no longer appropriate for the future needs of this collaboration and have agreed to create a Joint Powers Authority to provide a more formal and effective structure to this important regional effort. DISCUSSION: The purpose of the original Joint Funding Agreement (JFA) and the creation of the Silicon Valley Regional Interoperability Project (SVRIP) were to enhance and coordinate regional public safety data and radio communications systems, with a focus on interoperability and strategic planning. This JFA partnership has continued as a successful consortium effort for 9 years engaging in numerous planning and system enhancement initiatives that have improved public safety agency capabilities in these areas and created strategic plans to address future needs. For the most part these activities have been funded with grants, however, a blend of local matching funds and in-kind resource contributions have also been allocated by the participants in the JFA. Additionally, participants have contributed funds towards shared overhead costs. One major project has been implemented and is now being upgraded. This project is a county- wide regional microwave network which serves to carry important public safety data and voice communications. Funds from two separate federal grants totaling approximately $15 million paid for the majority of the project. The first grant was made to the City of San Jose. The second grant was made to the County of Santa Clara. The assets of the project, microwave towers and equipment, are now owned by two entities. This project serves as an example of why SVRIP partners would benefit from the formation of a Joint Powers Authority; so that jointly owned assets can be consolidated within a single entity for operation and management. As projects have been implemented and future projects are planned, cities and the county have begun to assess themselves for administrative, operational and maintenance costs. The largest project currently envisioned by SVRIP is a regional radio communications system. This project will not be able to be funded through existing local resources. A Joint Powers Authority would have the ability to raise funds through one of several means to fund such a project. The current structure of SVRIP does not allow for this. The Santa Clara County/Cities Managers’ Association provided the initial direction and support to create the JFA for SVRIP and has served to approve the work plan of SVRIP on an annual basis. In the first year of the JFA, each city made a one-time financial contribution to fund the initiative. Two city managers and two city/county assistant/deputy managers sit on the SVRIP Executive Steering Committee. Los Gatos Police Chief Seaman currently serves as the chair of SVRIP as the appointed representative of the Police Chiefs’ Association. Over the past several years, the County/Cities Manager’s Association has agreed to individual assessments to support the hiring of an Executive Director and to fund on-going maintenance and operational costs. The association has endorsed and supported the development of the JPA structure with the City of San Jose City Attorney’s Office providing the technical work to craft the document. At the end of 2009, the County/Cities Managers’ Association approved the JPA documentation for presentation to individual councils for adoption. If approved by individual cities, the JPA would become formally constituted 60 days following the final city’s adoption, likely in June or July of 2010. The JPA calls for the creation of a Board of Directors comprised of 9 elected officials from several defined groupings of cities/county within Santa Clara County. Saratoga is included in the grouping of “Southwest County Agencies” comprised of Campbell, Saratoga, Monte Sereno and Los Gatos. One elected representative from those four cities will be selected to serve a term of up to three years. The Board of Directors will, among other responsibilities, create the bylaws, hire the Executive Director and approve the yearly work plan and budget. This body will meet at least twice yearly. A Working Committee will be formed comprised of staff from the member cities/county. The Working Committee will ensure that the work plan is followed, apply for grants, implement individual projects and prepare the budget for approval by the Board of Directors. The formation of the JPA serves to create a formal governmental structure under which existing and future planning can occur. Two actions are required under this council item. The first action authorizes the City Manager to sign the agreement making Saratoga a member of the new JPA structure under the name of the Silicon Valley Regional Interoperability Authority (SVRIA). The second action authorizes the City Manager to sign the necessary amendment to the existing JFA amendments which serve to formally transfer existing assets within SVRIP to the JPA as SVRIA. FISCAL IMPACTS: There is no direct fiscal impact to this action. Costs associated with the City’s existing membership in the Silicon Valley Regional Interoperability Project under the Joint Funding Agreement will continue under the Joint Funding Authority. CONSEQUENCES OF NOT FOLLOWING RECOMMENDED ACTION: The City would not be a member of the SVRIP JPA and would not be entitled to sit on the JPA board. ALTERNATIVE ACTION: Do not authorize the City to join the SVRIP JPA. FOLLOW UP ACTION: Send signed resolution to the Silicon Valley Radio Interoperability Project Executive Director. ADVERTISING, NOTICING AND PUBLIC CONTACT: This item was posted as a City Council agenda item and was included in the packet made available on the City’s web site in advance of the meeting. A copy of the agenda packet is also made available at the Saratoga Branch Library each Monday in advance of the Council meeting. Residents may subscribe to the agenda on-line by opting in at www.saratoga.ca.us ATTACHMENTS: 1) Joint Powers Agreement for the Silicon Valley Regional Interoperability Authority 2) First Amendment to the Second Amended Santa Clara County Data Communications Network Joint Funding Agreement