CALL TO ORDER

Chairman Olson called the meeting to order at 7:32 AM

ROLL CALL

Board members present:

Chairman Olson, Bowman, Feithen, Hanson, Leoni, Pettit, Riddle, Rosemier, and Suppeland.

Board members absent: Russell  arrived at 7:35.

Guests Present:

            Lt. Al Newby, DeKalb County Sheriff's Police; Brent Tillman, DeKalb Police Department;

Jim Feyerherm, Starved Rock Communications; Glenna Johnson, Geo-Comm, Jim Tollakson and Benny Escutia, Verizon; Sheila Campos, Chris Arms, and Joan Berkes-Hanson, DeKalb County IMO; Tim Hughes, AT Cybersystems.

Also Present: Christine Johnson, DeKalb County Treasurer; Charles Kross, Coordinator

AGENDA

The Chairman asked for any amendments to the agenda. Kross asked that Jim Feyerherm be added to discuss the Fire System radio.  A motion to approve the agenda as amended was made by Rosemier, and seconded by Suppeland.  There was no discussion.  The motion passed. 

MINUTES

The Chairman asked for any amendments or corrections to the minutes.  Treasurer Johnson said that she was not at the last meeting, contrary to the minutes. A motion to approve the amended minutes of the June 2, 2004 meeting was made by Hanson, and seconded by Riddle.  The motion passed. 

OLD BUSINESS:

¨      Treasurer’s Report:

After presenting the monthly report, Treasurer Johnson was asked if some funds could be transferred to one of the investment accounts.  She said that there appeared to be enough in checking to pay the bills. 

A motion was made by Suppeland and seconded by Rosemier to transfer $50,000 from checking to an investment account.  There was no discussion.  The motion passed unanimously.

A motion to approve the Treasurer’s Report was made by Bowman, and seconded by Leoni.  There was no discussion. The motion passed unanimously.

·        Bills Not Previously Approved:   None

·        Bills:

          Language Line                                                                                                             136.30                        Verizon                                                                                                                         89.67

Verizon                                                                                                                  32,326.17

Verizon                                                                                                                         93.07

Verizon                                                                                                                        97.60

AT&T                                                                                                                         42.31

Starved Rock Communications                                                                                    93.07       

Sprint                                                                                                                          12.92                     Communications Direct          -  Cortland  pagers                                                    1,200.00           

EMapping Solutions – Mapping software                                                                3,314.75

NiComm LLC – Sycamore                                                                                        152.20       

Chuck Kross – NENA expenses                                                                                630.65

DeKalb County IMO                                                                                            13,300.00

               Total                                                                                                   $51,395.64       

A motion to pay the bills was made by  Russell, and seconded by Rosemier.   A roll call vote was taken:  Bowman  Y   Feithen   Y   Hanson Y   Leoni  Y    Pettit  Y   Riddle  Y   Rosemier  Y  Russell  Y  Suppeland  Y  Olson Y.   The motion passed.

¨      Mapping Project

1.      Kross reported that the hardware and software have been installed and working properly.  Training took place last week, and most full time and part-time Telecommunicators received the training.  Additionally, DeKalb County IMO and City of DeKalb I & T personnel received advanced training on GIS inputting.  Initially some of the local data was not complete, but by the end of the week it was relatively accurate.  This will take some time to iron out details while all are learning the system.  For Telecommunicators, it is relatively simple.  The move they practice with it, the better the system becomes for information.  It will also permit Kross to obtain data on 911 wireless calls that our present equipment can’t provide.  In the interest of footprint space, DeKalb, NIU and Sandwich elected to utilize one 20” monitor for CML Sentry and the MicroData GIS mapping.  The 20” monitors have not yet been installed at Sandwich or NIU.  That should be done in the next few days.  This will require the Telecommunicators to toggle between the two screens.  So far this hasn’t been a major problem. 

2.      Joan Berkes Hanson said that they had some problems with data exchange.  She said that IMO didn’t get the data from MicroData GIS in a timely manner, in order for IMO to have it inputted prior to the training.  She said that the believes the system to be a good product however.  Rosemier asked how long she felt it would be until the data is accurate.  She said it might take some weeks.

3.      Tollakson said that it was unfortunate that there were some personnel changes causing some confusion, but that the product has been installed and is working properly. 

·        Kirkland Tower Problem

 Jim Feyerherm, of Starved Rock Communications, reported on the interference issues at the Kirkland site. Tom Hughes of AT Cybersystems, a local wireless independent service provider  (ISP) introduced himself to the Board.  Mr. Hughes represents the company that was causing the interference on the Kirkland tower.    Feyerherm said that he had changed the connections at the site, which helped but did not eliminate  the interference from the ISP.  He believes the signal will be downgraded on both the Fire and Police antennas.  Bowman asked what that meant.  Feyerherm said that the portable radio coverage will diminish at the extremities of the Kirkland tower’s signal.  This was recognized as a problem by the Sheriff’s department.  Feyerherm said that there is a private tower on the west side of Kirkland that might be available.  Hughes said that both towers are the same height.  Hughes told the Board that he was going to be visiting other similar sites to Kirkland, to try to determine what the problem is.  He said that he planned on having antennas in Malta, Monroe Center, and Somonauk, all on the village watertowers.  He said he wanted to work with the Board to see that no other problems come up.  Feyerherm told the Board that Hughes had been very cooperative in trying to get to the bottom of the problem in Kirkland.  When Feyerherm was asked what the specific problem was, he explained that it was an intermod  product, a harmonic from two separate transmitters falling on a specific frequency.  Feyerherm said that he has tried to eliminate it by shielding the wires, but feels the only way to eliminate it is by moving the antenna.

     Olson  raised the possibility of requiring  the tower owners and/or villages to contact the ETSB prior to allowing a new user on their towers.  He suggested we contact the Mayors\Managers of the locales of  the towers to discuss this issue with them.  Feithen  said that the small communities are getting lots of service from the ETSB for little cost.  He suggested that DeKalb County might be able to use their authority to get cooperation.  Feyerherm said the High Rise is a good illustration of how things could best work.  He said they will contact him prior to allowing a new business on their roof and that part of the business’s contract with the DeKalb County Housing Authority requires that there is no interference with emergency services radios already there. Olson  added that the Board pays rent there, but not at the other locations.  Rosemier suggested a summit meeting with the affected villages.  He thinks we might get more ideas from a group meeting.  Kross said that he would be willing to go to the various town meetings to discuss the problem with them.. He suggested that most of them are probably not aware there is a problem.  No final decision was made.

Feyerherm reported that a vent fan is going to be installed in the shelter at the Waterman site.  He said that he replaced the corroded parts in the UPS in Somonauk,  but that the system should be moved as soon as possible. He said that the shed next to the tower in Somonauk is owned by Miller Automotive, who is willing to donate it to the Village, who will allow the Board to use it for the Fire radio, as well as the Sheriff’s  Police radios.  Russell asked how much it would cost to relocate.  Feyerherm  said roughly  $2000.  Feithen made a motion to authorize moving the radios, with the costs shared with the DeKalb County Sheriff's Police .  Russell seconded.  The motion passed.

NEW BUSINESS

¨      Fire System Repeat Traffic Transmitter –Feyerherm presented a letter to the Board, outlining the problems with the countywide Fire radio system, and offering a solution.  The primary problem is that because of the steering module, and its location at the Sheriff’s Department, Fire agencies using their portable radios are sometimes unable to communicate.  Feyerherm suggests a transmitter be place in the center of the County, on a tower currently utilized by the Sheriff’s Department.  Spectasite, Inc owns the tower.  Feyerherm  estimates the cost of a transmitter at this site at approximately $22,600, in addition to a $400 per month tower charge, and a $120 per month telephone line charge.  Feithen  asked about utilizing the State Police tower at the tollway building on the Annie Glidden..  Feyerherm  said that it may be possible, but thought the tower wasn’t high enough.  Kross reminded the Board that the existing system was not built to do what is being asked of it today.  If the Board was going to finance a true system countywide, it will cost additional money.  Rosemier  suggested a local FBI tower, but Feyerherm said it was not located where our system needs it.  Olson asked if this was done, what would be the next issue.  Where does the Board’s responsibility end?  Feyerherm said that if the Board was going to provide portable coverage, additional towers might be needed.  He suggested that the Board determines how far it is willing to go to provide radio services to the county fire agencies.  Bowman  said that fire ground should be used in tactical situations and not the county fire frequency.  He said his department has not had any problems, but they are located close to a tower.  Russell said that Brent Tillman has located a reputable consultant, and that the committee would be meeting with him prior to the next meeting.  He suggested that the Board wait before deciding anything.  The committee will report to the Board at the next meeting.

¨      Participating Agency Requests - Kross said that Sandwich PSAP is still using their original printer from 12 years ago.  He requests authorization for them to purchase a HP 1200 printer like the other PSAPs are using.      Riddle made a motion to authorize the purchase.  Russell seconded.  The motion passed unanimously

¨      PSAP Administrators' Report – PSAP Administrators met on Tuesday, July 6.  They intend on having new protocols and procedures for approval at the August Board meeting.  Due to the increased use of the dedicated line by wireless carriers and Voip companies, it may be necessary to install a new dedicated line in each PSAP.  The Administrators will report on that at the next meeting.

¨      Persons to be Heard from the Floor –  No one

¨      Coordinator’s Report

1.   NENA conference – Kross said that the conference was extremely informative.  He said that a fairly large part of the conference dealt with Voip and its use with 911.  He said that he attended mostly Phase II classes however.  The keynote speaker was John Walsh of America’s Most Wanted fame.

2.   CMS will no longer be responsible for the wireless 911 surcharges.  That duty has been moved over to the ICC, who, reportedly, was not interested in the collection and distribution of the WETSA Funds.  Allegedly they have only one financial officer to deal with all of their monetary issues.  CMS had three employees dealing with wireless 911 money.

3.      Kross distributed to the Board, copies of a relatively simple explanation of VoIP.

ADJOURNMENT

Rosemier moved to adjourn the meeting, and was seconded by Leoni.  The motion passed.   The meeting adjourned at 8:58 A.M.

Respectfully submitted,

- - - -  - -- - - - - - - - - - - - - -- - - - -

Charles Kross, Coordinator