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8.b)1) Review Cost for Radio System Meeting Date: 2/16/2010 Agenda Item: �{ �) � 1 l City Council Agenda Report City of Scandia 14727 209`h St. North Scandia, MN 55073 (651)433-2274 Action Requested: Consider sending a letter requesting that Washington County review their policies for distributing the operating costs for the 800 Mhz radio system. Deadline/Timeline: N/A Background: • The Lower St. Croix Valley Fire Department has asked that other Washington County fire departments join them in requesting that the county reconsider assessing user charges to cities for the new 800 Mhz radio system. • There is concern about the impact on city operating budgets, and whether the current system is an equitable way of paying the costs for a county-wide system. • Scandia's 2010 budget includes $9,000 for radio system user fees. Recommendation: The Council should review the draft and determine whether a letter should be sent. Attachments/ • Draft letter to Commissioner Dennis Hegberg Materials provided: Contact(s): Prepared by: Anne Hurlburt, Administrator (county re radio user fees) Page 1 of 1 02/10/10 February 17, 2010 Commissioner Dennis Hegberg Washington County Government Center 14949 62°d Street North PO Box 6 Stillwater, MN 55082-0006 �-_. Dear Commissioner Hegberg: � `� � ���. � � I am writing to urge you and the entire Washington � ty Board of Commissioners to reconsider the County's method of d'istributing operat�n costs for the 800 Mhz radio system. � \ � , The cities are currently assessed operat\g cos�bas�rl an the ,ni�rnber of radios in service. i :... We must budget for this cost and pass it a�on�,to cit}�t�xpayers in our annual levy. The cost of the new radio s,Ysfem is one reason�ve have seen?operating costs for our fire and rescue deparhnent inCrease much faster than�t �e cost of other city services. ���'� I ' If county taxpayers pai�,�the c�,for the radio s stem, it would be more equitably distributed am+�ng all count�taxpayer^s �+'�liave not been able to fully reflect the cost of the radio�ystem i�-Qur servic�agreement with May Township. If the cost was paid througli a county levy;�Scandia�nd Ma�Township taxpayers would more equitably bear the�co�t f�r the county-�i�de systerit. \ � ( A county-fin`ari�ed system i�vould also provide a greater incentive for the county to control costs in dth�future lCities are currently obliged to pay a fee over which they have no budgetary con�l. We hope that the county will review the current system of charges before the county and cities prepare their 2011 budgets. Thank you for your consideration. Sincerely, Dennis Seefeldt Mayor