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Home My WebLink AboutMINUTES - 06151996 - 2.3 2.3 THE BOARD OF SUPERVISORS OF CONTRA COSTA COUNTY, CALIFORNIA Adopted this Order on June 15, 1993, by the following vote: AYES: Supervisors Powers, Smith, Bishop, McPeak and Torlakson NOES: None ABSENT: None ABSTAIN: None SUBJECT: Federal Communications Commission (FCC) Regulations Janet Grenslitt, Chair, Emergency Communication Advisory Body, advised the Board in a May 12 , 1993 memorandum, of the serious financial burden which would be placed on Public Safety Agencies countywide if the Federal Communications Commission proposed regulations in "PR Docket No. 92-235" are accepted. Board members being in agreement, IT IS ORDERED that the Chair is AUTHORIZED to send . letters to the Federal Communications Commission and the County's Congressional delegation opposing the proposed new FCC regulations that would have an adverse financial impact on fire, police, sheriff, and public works agencies. I hereby certify that this is a true and correct copy of an action taken and entered on the minutes of the Board of Supervisors on the date shown: ATTESTED: Phil Batchelor, Clerk of the Board of Supervisors and County Administrator By Deputy cc: J. Grenslitt, Chair, ECAB Office of Emergency Services County Administrator ' 3 CONTRA COSTA COUNTY OFFICE OF EMERGENCY SERVICES 50 GLACIER DRIVE MARTINEZ, CALIFORNIA 94553 Tel. (510) 646-4461 Fax. (510) 646-1120 May 12, 1993 4 To: Co tr t h<VCard of Supervisors U� y From: ellrJanet S. Grenslitt, Chair; Emergency Communications Advisory Body Subject: Action taken against proposed Federal Communications Commission (FCC) Regulations "PR Docket No. 92-235" The Contra Costa County Emergency Communications Advisory Body (ECAB) has recently become advised of the serious financial burden which would be placed on Public Safety Agencies county-wide if the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) proposed regulations in "PR Docket No. 92-235" are accepted. In Contra Costa, the proposed regulations in Docket 92-235 would result in most of our Fire, Police, Sheriff, and Public Works agencies having to reduce their geographical radio coverage, and replace all of their mobile radios, portable radios and base stations, at an estimated total equipment cost of fourteen (14) million dollars by January 1 st, 1996! Obviously, this financial burden is completely unacceptable. We have written a letter of protest to the FCC, stating our position against the regulations as currently proposed. In addition, we have taken the initiative to suggest to each police and fire chief as well as other affected agencies in Contra Costa that they also write to the FCC to increase the number of comments on record against Docket 92-235. I have attached copies of our letters for your information. Apparently, negative comments are already having an effect with the FCC, and there has been mention of a major docket revision of Docket 92-235. We will track this serious issue closely, and keep you informed. If you have any questions, please call Police Chief Ted Barnes, Pinole PD (at 724-8955), our ECAB contact on this issue. cc: Phil Batchelor, Administrator Gary Brown, OES Director Scott Tandy, Chief Assistant Administrator ECAB Membership Z. CONTRA COSTA COUNTY OFFICE OF EMERGENCY SERVICES 50 GLACIER DRIVE MARTINEZ, CALIFORNIA 94553 Tel. (510) 646-4461 Fax. (510) 646-1120 May 12, 1993 1 To: Pol' e , Sheriff, Fire Chiefs, Affected Agencies of Contra Costa County From: O�4Janet Grenslitt, Chair; Emergency Communications Advisory Body Subject Proposed FCC Regulations "PR Docket No. 92-235' The Federal Communications Commission (FCC) has proposed revisions in the public safety radio channel frequency bands below 512 MHz, which will affect most of our fire, police, sheriff, ambulance and public works radio traffic. IF THESE REGULATIONS ARE PASSED AS PROPOSED, YOU MAY NEED TO REPLACE MOST OF YOUR RADIO EQUIPMENT BY JANUARY 1 ST, 1996. Obviously, this financial burden is unacceptable. Our county-wide Emergency Communications Advisory Body (ECAB) has reviewed the attached summary of the FCC Proposal ("92-235'), and urges you to do the same. The reasoning behind this docket is an attempt to create additional radio channels which are needed in large metropoitan areas, where all radio spectrum is utilized. The FCC proposes to reduce power by as much as 30-50% in talk 'but range"(dispatch to mobile and mobile to mobile through repeaters). This could be dealt with by adding base stations and simulcast; however, after adoption of 92-235, all new stations are required to havean occupied bandwidth of four KHZ. These base stations are not compatible with existing radio equipment. Therefore, affected Public Safety agencies must accept reduced coverage and replace all mobiles, portables and base stations! If you have not already done so, please send a letter to the FCC voicing your concerns. We have drafted a suggested letter for your use, which states our position. Please include specific information on the effect of 92-235 on your communications system. COMMENTS ARE DUE TO THE FCC BY MAY 28TH, SO PLEASE ACT QUICKLY. Apparently, the FCC is influenced by the volume of comments, as well as the source. If you have any questions, please call Chief Ted Barnes, Pinole PD at 724-8955. cc: Members, CCC Emergency Communications Advisory Body -1 Z- 3 Your Letterhead Date Ms. Donna R. Searcy, Secretary Federal Communications Commission 1919 M Street N.W. - Room 222 Washington, DC 20554 Re: PR Docket No. 92-235 Dear Ms. Searcy: In the matter of the revision of the Private Land Mobile Radio (PLMR) Services and the modification of the policies governing those services (PR Docket No. 92-235, the replacement of Part 90 by Part 88), we have the following comments: . 1. WE DISAGREE WITH PR DOCKET 92-235 AS IT IS CURRENTLY PROPOSED. 2. The fire, law enforcement and ambulance agencies of Contra Costa County serve a population of over 850,000. The equipment costs alone to meet the proposed requirements of PR docket 92-235 are estimated at over FOURTEEN (14) MILLION DOLLARS. This estimate is based on the 108 base stations and 1,737 mobile and portable radios in the county's largest police, fire and public works affected agencies. County and city governments are experiencing severe budget cutbacks, including layoffs, and simply will not be able to meet the mandate as proposed. 3. In effect, PR Docket 92-235 is a locally mandated program; therefore, we believe that the federal government should provide a changeover funding source, such as seed funding through block grants for local government agencies. 4. The current licensee should remain the licensee for the narrowband channels which will be split out of the wideband channel, up to the year 2005, which will be ten years from adoption of the FCC regulations. This will give local governments the time required to make such a tremendous changeover in equipment which the. new narrowband channels will require. 5. We disagree that the frequency coordinating agencies would manage their proposed major role in administering channel exclusivity, and therefore insist that public safety agencies be enabled to retain their control over their radio traffic. If channel exclusivity is lost, public safety agencies' ability to respond to emergency requests from the public will suffer significantly. 6. We urge the members of the Federal Communications Commission to seek input from local, regional and state communication directors. To place the burden and costs of the-problems addressed in this legislation on the backs of local government is not an appropriate answer. Respectfully submitted, Your Name cc: City Managers/County Administrator City Council Members/Board of Supervisors Mayor/Chair, Board of Supervisors Others as Appropriate