Subject: [NEXTEL-1] A solution for the police communications problems may come sooner than later.

From: Marcelrf <[email-masked]>
Date: Mon, 08 Mar 2004 23:03:10 -0500

Town considers police upgrades

Elizabeth Misiewicz, Editor March 04, 2004

A solution for the police communications problems may come sooner than
later.

The Town Council recently approved a resolution to increase the $1
million for the project by $130,000.

The Board of Finance will vote on the resolution at its March 10 meeting
at 7 p.m. in Town Hall. If approved, it will go to a town meeting
tentatively scheduled for March 16 at 7 p.m. in Town Hall.

The increase would provide for a digital, two-transmitter and one
receiver site simulcast system, constructed by Motorola.

The police communications upgrade is part of a $1 million renovation
plan that includes work inside the police station, lead abatement in the
old firing range and a new emergency exit.

The new system would be installed on existing towers at Marian Heights
on Route 111, St. John's Cemetery on Moose Hill Road and the WMNR tower
on Old Newtown Road.

The digital system would solve the problem of "dead spots" in the
Stevenson section of town. It also would give officers 95 percent
coverage in buildings.

The existing 130-foot tower behind the police department would remain
because regional fire and emergency services rent space on it.

Controversy has surfaced regarding the price increase with some people
calling it a project cost overrun, which Nunn and Police Chief John
Salvatore vehemently deny.

Salvatore said the term "cost overrun" is "wrongly used" to describe the
increase in the project's cost.

"This is just a bid that is higher than what we projected," he said. "It
is improper to use that term. This is not a cost overrun."

According to Nunn and Salvatore, they originally decided to go with the
analog system since the option to switch to a digital system was not
feasible. At the time, towers required for the simulcast system were not
available.

"At that point in time, the analog system was the option we had that was
feasible to get the communication upgrade we needed," Nunn said. "The
tower at St. John's Cemetery needed to be increased, and the tower at
Marion Heights wasn't even built. So we decided to go analog then."

Nunn said project consultants at the time said the coverage was "not
there" to go digital, and if the town wanted a digital system, there
would be significant additional costs.

The situation changed when resident Dan Julian bought the tower at St.
John's Cemetery and property rights at Marian Heights from Connecticut
Architectural Towers. Julian then built the tower at Marion Heights and
offered the town free space on both towers, to help out the town, Nunn
said.

With the option to go digital now feasible with the additional tower,
Nunn said the town went out to bid for the project in the fall, with
Motorola being the sole bidder.

"This changed the scope and our alternatives for the project," he said.

Salvatore said Motorola's original proposal was $1.3 million.

"This far exceeded the amount budgeted for the project, but through
negotiations, their cost was significantly reduced," he said. "The
consultants eliminated things in the proposal, such as equipment that
was not needed. It took weeks of negotiation. They did an exceptional
job."

Nunn said another plus for going with the digital simulcast system is
that an additional tower would not have to be built behind Town Hall,
therefore avoiding possible litigation with the neighbors against
another tower.

Salvatore said, "If we were to go with the analog system, we would
encounter litigation, more delay, more time. We don't have the time
anymore."

Salvatore said he believes it's in the town's "best interest" to go with
the simulcast system.

"We've been talking about this need for years," he said. "It's time to
move on. The bottom line is we have to do something. My belief is that
digital is the way to go in this day and age."

Town Council Vice Chairman Phil White aired his reservations about the
situation.

"The process we're going about this has me concerned because we've
gotten different estimates, and each one would have supposedly done the
job," White said.

Whether one calls the project change a "cost overrun" or "project
shifting," it amounts to the "same thing," White said

"The process needs some tightening up," he said. "But the upgrade is
something that has to get done. Hopefully this is it."

No tax increase

Nunn said the project's cost increase would not increase residents'
taxes.

"What we are asking the residents to vote on at the town meeting is to
approve the transfer of funds from another project to this one," he
said.

The project he is referring to is the Wolf Park pool. If approved at the
town meeting, $130,000 in funds would be transferred from that project
to fund the increase in police communication upgrades.

"We will not ask for more money from the taxpayers," Nunn said.

He said they town officials were doing this because the "scope" of the
Wolf Park pool project changed.

"It will come back as a new project," he said. "The plans have changed
dramatically."

Nunn said he believes the Board of Finance will approve the resolution
to increase the funds for the police communications upgrade.

"I believe they are in favor of it," he said.

http://www.zwire.com/site/news.cfm?BRD=1348&dept_id=432860&newsid=11068119&PAG=461&rfi=9

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