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CC - Adoption of a Resolution Immediately Withdrawing the City from the Los Angeles Regional Interoperable Communications System Authority Pursuant to Section 5.01 of the Los Angeles Regional Interoperable Communications System Authority Joint Powers Agreement.
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Contact Person/Dept: Martin R. Cole, Assistant City Manager
Phone Number: (310) 253-6000
Fiscal Impact: Yes [] No [X] General Fund: Yes [] No []
Public Hearing: [] Action Item: [] Attachments: Yes [X] No []
Commission Action Required: Yes [] No [X] Date:
Commission Name:
Public Notification: (E-Mail) Meetings and Agendas - City Council (11/05/15)
Department Approval: Martin R. Cole, Assistant City Manager (11/05/15)
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RECOMMENDATION
Staff recommends the City Council adopt a Resolution immediately withdrawing the City from the Los Angeles Regional Interoperable Communications System Authority (LA-RICS) pursuant to Section 5.01 of the Los Angeles Regional Interoperable Communications System Authority Joint Powers Agreement.
BACKGROUND/DISCUSSION
On February 23, 2009, the City Council adopted Resolution 2009-R011 which authorized the City to join LA-RICS. LA-RICS was created to facilitate the creation of a county-wide, interoperable communications system to be used by first-responders (including police and fire personnel) to major disasters. As one might surmise, the undertaking of such a project would be quite complex and involve many (if not all) of the 88 cities in Los Angeles County along with the County itself (and several of its various Departments) and others.
LA-RICS has encountered significant challenges in its attempts to move the Project forward. Earlier this year, numerous press agencies reported the Federal Government suspended LA-RICS funding for construction of the Project citing the inability of LA-RICS to meet a September 30, 2015 deadline contained in the federal grant requirements. The City Council of the City of Los Angeles and the Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors took actions to suspend construction of Project components.
In response to these actions, LA-RICS submitted a scaled-down version of the Project in an attempt to have the Federal Government reinstate funding. This goal was ultimately achieved. However, the scaled-down project no longer includes the communications tower owned by the City located in Culver City Park.
While Culver City continues to support the goal of a county-wide interoperable communications system, the concerns with LA-RICS along with the City’s continued membership in the Interagency Communications Interoperability System (a collaboration with the cities of Beverly Hills, Burbank, Glendale, Montebello, Pasadena, and Pomona and Com-Net comprised of the cities of Azusa, Covina, Glendora, Irwindale, La Verne, and West Covina), the scaled-down LA-RICS project coupled with the significant challenges faced by LA-RICS have led staff to recommend the City Council adopt a resolution immediately withdrawing from LA-RICS. Based on similar concerns, other former LA-RICS member cities have withdrawn from LA-RICS, including the City of Santa Monica.
Under Section 5.01 of the Los Angeles Regional Interoperable Communications System Authority Joint Powers Agreement, Culver City may currently withdrawal from LA-RICS without cost. The window for member cities to withdrawal without cost will close on November 24, 2015.
FISCAL ANALYSIS
Adoption of the proposed resolution does not create a fiscal impact for the City. However, continued membership in or withdrawal from LA-RICS after the close of the current window period on November 24, 2015 could create such an impact, the magnitude of which may be significant.
ATTACHMENTS
Proposed Resolution.
RECOMMENDED MOTIONS
That the City Council:
Adopt a Resolution immediately withdrawing the City from the Los Angeles Regional Interoperable Communications System Authority pursuant to Section 5.01 of the Los Angeles Regional Interoperable Communications System Authority Joint Powers Agreement.