Study approved to assess narrowband mandate needs in county

BY STACI WILSON

In an effort to move toward compliance with the federal government’s mandated emergency communication change from wideban to narrowband frequencies by the end of Dec. 2012, the commissioners accepted a proposal for a propagation study in the county.

TheMCMConsulting Group, of McMurray, will prepare the study at a cost of $4,320. The group’s proposal was accepted at the Sept. 28 commissioners’ meeting.

Commissioner Michael Giangrieco said the unfunded mandate to narrowband puts a serious financial burden on all municipalities.

Although he voted in favor of conducting the propagation study – which will address what the county’s needs are – he said does not support the change in the absence of federal funding for the project.

“It’s more money for us to document further what our needs are,” Giangrieco said. “We need the study to point out the problem we are up against.”

There are some places in the county where police, sheriff and emergency officials can’t communicate because there is no service now, Giangrieco said.

He said several years ago, the price tag for adding repeaters to cover those areas was around $3 million – a cost he said he assumed has only risen since.

Giangrieco said the state police just spent $50 million to change its system but that there are still areas where there is no service.

“SusquehannaCountycannot afford to update to meet the mandates,” he said. “Fire, ambulance and emergency personnel all know what a problem it is and it’s being worked on.”

Giangrieco said Rep. Tom Marino met with the emergency responders to discuss potential narrowband issues.

The commissioners also dealt with a number of employment matters at the meeting.

Ruth Smith resigned from her position in the Children & Youth Department and was hired to an open position in theCountyTreasurer’s office.

The resignation of James Brewer,RecyclingCenter, was accepted with regret, effective Oct. 7.

Paul Johnson, 911, resigned from his position in that department to take the position of Operations and Training Officer in the Emergency Management department, starting Oct. 13.

Three dispatcher trainees were also hired in the 911 department; and the resignation of one other dispatcher trainee was accepted.

The commissioners signed the Children & Youth budget for 2012-13. The total budget is $3,473,478 with the county portion totaling $753,499.

The commissioners also accepted the scope of work and fee proposed from Blackbaud to be on site at the county for 40 hours to identify issues with the accounting software and provide solutions and alternative methods of use at a cost of $7,200.

The county also signed a contract with Constellation Energy,Baltimore,Md., to purchase electricity from the company at a rate of $.067456/kwh through Penelec; and $.071383/kwh throughPPLfor the Clifford county site.

A trailer that had been removed fromTGJSMLand, Lathrop Twp., and assessed at $1,000 was exonerated from the tax rolls per the recommendation of Cathy Benedict, director of Tax Claim.

A $1,850 bid from Knowlton & Sons Masonry, Clifford, was accepted to re-point the courthouse steps and replace a limited number of bluestones at the entrance.

The county commissioners meet on the second and fourth Wednesdays of each month at9 a.m.in the lower level conference room of the county office building,Public Ave., Montrose.