In today�s post-9/11 world, swift radio communications with other agencies is a high priority with the Airport as well as the City. The City is a member of the Interagency Communication Interoperability System (ICIS), a joint powers agency which has been enabling its members to have seamless radio communication within a large region of Los Angeles County. The Airport desires to join ICIS as a Subscriber Member which would enable the Airport to enjoy �roaming� privileges, but would not confer any governance authority.

The Airport Authority wishes to enter into a Wireless Communications Use and Maintenance Agreement (Agreement) with the City. The Agreement would formalize recent arrangements that allow Police and the Airport to enjoy greatly improved radio communications. Assuming Council approval, the Agreement would go to the Airport Authority for its approval. Following ratification of the Agreement, BWP would seek approval from ICIS to make the Airport a Subscriber Member.

ANALYSIS

The most straightforward way to improve radio communications between Police and the Airport is to incorporate the Airport into the City�s new radio system. For more than a year, Police and the Airport have gained experience working with the City�s new radio system and are confident that they have indeed achieved better radio communications between them.

Through its Burbank Water and Power (BWP) communications staff, the City tentatively set aside eight radio Talk Groups for Airport use.  Five Talk Groups received specific assignments, and three were held in reserve. (In earlier-generation radio systems, the Airport would have one or more assigned channels, but the City�s radio system makes all of its nine channels available depending on level of traffic.) For its safety personnel, the Airport purchased radios and other end use equipment that was compatible with the City�s new system.

BWP has confirmed that the Airport�s use of the Talk Groups does not tax the capacity of the new radio system or in any way compromise its performance. The Airport has concluded that it would prefer that BWP staff maintain those Airport radios assigned to its safety personnel.

The Airport also gained experience with roaming on the ICIS system, including establishing internal controls on roaming use and determining the level of need. The ICIS Technical Committee, which includes BWP participation, concluded that ICIS can readily accommodate the Airport�s roaming needs.

The Agreement provides an orderly way to maintain improved radio communications with the Airport in a way that also addresses the Airport�s desire for maintenance support and roaming. Through BWP, the City would provide two types of service to The Burbank-Glendale-Pasadena Airport Authority:

• Basic Maintenance Service. BWP would perform routine programming, inspection, adjustment, cleaning, and repair of Subscriber Radios. As necessary, BWP would also replace any radio parts that are readily available. Examples: batteries, antennas, knobs, other external parts. However, Basic Maintenance Service does not include maintenance that requires specialized training, customized parts, attachments (such as collar microphones), or specialized tools and equipment normally available only through the manufacturer. Examples: modules and other internal parts.

• Interoperability. Subject to approval of the ICIS Board, the Airport would be entitled to roaming access to assigned Talk Groups and to receive radio reprogramming as required (e.g., when other agencies are added to the ICIS system).

The Airport would continue to have the eight Talk Groups mentioned earlier. The Talk Groups would be for the exclusive use of the Airport and would be used only during the Airport�s ordinary course of business to provide services to the public.

Other salient business terms of the Agreement are:

• Term:  Ten years.

• Termination: As early as 90 days, and requires mutual agreement.

• Initial Fee: $25.00 per radio per month, including basic maintenance and ICIS fee of $5.00 per radio per month for roaming privileges.

• Fee Adjustments: Every two years, based on increases in the local Consumer Price Index.

• Liability: Mutual indemnification, City�s liability limited to six months� worth of fees, services offered with no warranty.

BWP would pay the roaming fee to ICIS directly and, more generally, would act as the ICIS go-between for the Airport.

The Agreement fee would avoid a subsidy from the City as well as ICIS, and would likely add net revenues to the City�s Fund 535. Council may recall that the City has an internal service fund, Fund 535, which covers the capital and O&M costs of the City�s radio and phone systems. An executive-level, Fund 535 Committee (City Manager�s Office, Police, Fire, BWP, IT, Finance) provides policy direction and financial oversight. The Fund 535 Committee was comfortable in principle with including the Authority within Burbank�s new radio system, and directed staff to develop charges that reflect verifiable costs and involve no subsidy from Fund 535.

The Airport has 64 new, safety-related radios (both mobile and portable), as compared with some 1300 radios for the City. BWP�s Fund 535-supported communications staff determined that it could easily accommodate the Agreement�s Basic Maintenance Service obligations without an increase in staff or degradation in its level of service to the City.

Of the $25.00 per radio per month Initial Fee, $5.00 would cover the ICIS roaming charge. The remaining $20 per radio per month would be available to cover the City�s maintenance obligations. For 64 radios, this is $1280 per month or $15,360 per year. The labor per radio would be less than one hour per year, at a total labor cost of $100 per hour; the labor cost per radio is $100 per year or less. For 64 radios, the annual cost would be $6,400 or less. Parts would average about $60 per radio per year (mainly due to changing out batteries once every two years); for 64 radios this is $3,840 per year.

Staff therefore expects that servicing the 64 radios will cost $10,240 per year out of the $15,360 per year collected for this purpose. The Initial Fee will generate a modest, annual margin of $5,120 that can cover higher-than-expected costs or maintenance levels.

The Agreement improves radio communications between Police and the Airport without adverse financial or service impacts. In staff�s opinion, the extra administrative effort and maintenance responsibility are more than offset by the Agreement�s operating advantages and revenue margin.

FISCAL IMPACT STATEMENT

The fiscal impact of adopting the Agreement would be positive, resulting in a modest annual cash flow to Fund 535 of up to $5,120. The substantial benefits are in improved safety communications which have the potential of avoiding or minimizing injuries and property damage.

RECOMMENDATION

Staff recommends that the Council approve the Agreement. If Council concurs, then it should adopt the Resolution entitled, �A RESOLUTION OF THE COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF BURBANK APPROVING AND AUTHORIZING EXECUTION OF WIRELESS COMMUNICATIIONS USE AND MAINTENANCE AGREEMENT BETWEEN THE CITY OF BURBANK AND THE BURBANK-GLENDALE-PASADENA AIRPORT AUTHORITY�.

GLS:jg

L:\City Council\Staff Reports\2007\Airport Radios.doc

Attachment

c:  Don Brown-Airport Commissioner

Charlie Lombardo-Airport Commissioner

Bill Wiggins-Airport Commissioner

Dan Feger, Airport Deputy Executive Director

John Hatansaka, Airport Deputy Executive Director

Ed Skvarna, Airport Chief of Police

Fund 535 Executive Committee

Rick Morillo-City Attorney�s Office