HomeMy WebLinkAboutA5590 - ERICA AGREEMENT INTENT TO SUPPORT 01 • �, Coo
LETTER OF INTENT TO SUPPORT THE FORMATION OF THE
EASTERN RIVERSIDE COUNTY INTEROPERABLE COMMUNICATIONS
AUTHORITY (ERICA) GOVERNED BY A JOINT POWERS AUTHORITY FOR THE
CITIES OF INDIO, CATHEDRAL CITY, DESERT HOT SPRINGS AND PALM
SPRINGS
Public Safety representatives from the cities of Indio, Cathedral City, Desert Hot
Springs, and Palm Springs ("Participating Cities") have been working together to
evaluate the feasibility of developing and operating a regional communications system
("RCS") providing service to multiple jurisdictions in Eastern Riverside County. The
RCS has the potential to serve many law enforcement and public safety agencies;
moreover, the RCS will be scalable and flexible in its evolution and growth. The
standards based 7001800MHz trunked RCS would radically advance effective and
reliable radio communications for routine intra-agency operations, and enhance inter-
agency coordination throughout the region and beyond during mutual aid scenarios,
catastrophic events and disasters.
The RCS is eligible for Federal funding. In executing this letter of intent, the
Participating Cities have agreed to support an Investment Justification application to the
United States Department of Homeland Security for assistance in the RCS'
development and operation through the Public Safety Interoperable Communications
("PSIC") grant program. PSIC grants facilitate meaningful and measurable
improvements to the state of public safety communications interoperability through full
and efficient use of Federal telecommunications resources.
The RCS represents the most cost effective and technically superior vehicle for.
the Participating Cities to employ in addressing their consistently expanding
telecommunications needs. The expansion of each of the Participating Cities'
boundaries, sphere of influence and its population, coupled with the widening
technological gap between each city's current telecommunications systems and the
maximum reliability, coverage and capacity afforded by a RCS underscores the urgency
of this matter. The Participating Cities agree that they must develop a governance
model for the RCS that will administer the system's design, implementation and
operations, and provide present and future users a voice in the management of the
RCS. Several working models throughout the United States illustrate how large regional
areas have formed regional communication systems and where shared governance has
been successful.
Public safety representatives from the Participating Cities have developed and
are refining a proposal to create the Eastern Riverside County Interoperable
Communications Authority ("ERICA"), a joint powers authority ("JPA"). While execution
of this Letter of Intent expresses an initial commitment, in principal, from each of the
Participating Cities to support the RCS and ERICA, the vision of the Participating Cities
extends to contacting and actively seeking the participation in ERICA of other public
safety and public service agencies throughout Eastern Riverside County. The JPA
would be governed by a Board of Directors including representatives of the Participating
Letter of intent re: ERICA
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Cities, additional agencies that may agree to join ERICA from its inception, and other
agencies that subsequently migrate onto the RCS network_ This JPA board will control
and oversee the financial, technical, operational and maintenance aspects of ERICA's
function.
While it may prove possible to fund a significant portion of the RCS' backbone via
Federal and State grants once the JPA is formed, ERICA will also require ongoing
financial contributions from all member agencies to insure that the RCS works to
maximum efficiency, and that the system's components are maintained, replaced, or
upgraded as necessary. This JPA responsibility for maintaining and operating the RCS
will continue throughout the RCS' life. Therefore, the Participating Cities agree that each
public safety and service agency that wishes to participate in ERICA must identify a
dedicated, reliable, funding stream for the RCS, and create a mechanism to draw upon
same on a regular basis.
Despite the level of interest and the willingness to pursue the collective vision
stated in this "Letter of Intent" by each of the Participating Cities, the undersigned note
that this "Letter of Intent" does not financially bind any jurisdiction, mandate participation
in the ERICA, or create any legal duty for any city or party.
THEREFORE, THE UNDERSIGNED REPRESENTATIVES OF EACH OF THE
PARTICIPATING CITIES, IN THEIR RESPECTIVE OFFICIAL, CAPACITIES,
RESOLVE THAT:
The Participating Cities support the planning and development of a regional
communications system providing service to multiple jurisdictions in Eastern Riverside
County. Furthermore, the Participating Cities are interested in forming a joint powers
authority to oversee the financial, technical, operational and maintenance aspects of
this authority's function.
The Participating Cities commit to creating and providing technical support to
working committees that will henceforth work on any required funding applications,
technical specifications, and operational implementation of the regional communications
system.
The Participating Cities understand that signing this "Letter of Intent"' does not
legally bind them to create or fund the regional communications system or participate in
the Eastern Riverside County Interoperable Communications Authority as it may be
formed. Rather, the Participating Cities intend and agree that this document shall serve
to provide evidence of their respective level of interest in all matters addressed herein.
SIGNATURES FOLLOW
Letter of Intent re: ERICA
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CITY OF INDIO
Signed: ` I Sign` ed�
�, - i✓"r'JL'I I �}1.1� \v1i car .
Glenn,Southard Brad Ramos
City Manager Police Chief
Date: / r I c/ G rJ Date:
I
CITY OF CATHEDRAL CITY
Signed: D0 Signed:
Donald Bradley St en Henry
City Manager Police Chief
Date: �!Jam/0
,7 Date:
CITY OF DESERT HOT SPRINGS
Signed: Signed:
Rick Daniels Patrick Williams
City Manager Police Chief
Date: Date: � / 111-67
CITY OF PALM SPRINGS
Signed: Signed:
D3V" Ready Gary J o
City Manager Police hie
rl
Date: Date:
Letter of Intent re-, ERICA
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