LET THE "GOOD TIMES ROLL" WITH THE STARK CO COMMISSIONERS?

STARK COUNTIANS TO BE SAFER AFTER JANUARY 1, 2019?

NEW P-25 SAFETY FORCES INTEROPERABLE RADIO SYSTEM

Pictured above is an ebullient (arms raised in celebration) Commissioner Janet Creighton as discussion was wrapping up on the imminent  Stark County commissioners' approval of what is named an "Exchange Agreement" (see full copy in the body of this blog) between The Board of County Commissioners of Stark County, Ohio and The State of Ohio Department of Administrative Services which agreement upgrades to "state-of-the-art" communications among Stark County-based public run emergency services, fire departments and police services under Ohio government's Multi-Agency Radio Communications System (MARCS).

In and of itself, the MARCS upgrade providing for:

was a exceedingly an "good for Stark County residents" occurrence which should make us all feel much safer in terms of our emergency needs witness this resolution passed unanimously by the commissioners yesterday:

A Resolution approving an Exchange Agreement between the State of Ohio, Department of Administrative Services and the Board of County Commissioners of Stark County, Ohio for participation in the Multi-Agency Radio Communications System (MARCS).

It is the County’s intent to participate with the State of Ohio in thedevelopment of a P-25 compliant, 700/800 MHz, IP-based System benefitting

•  end users,  
• creating economies of scale, 
• reducing costs, and
• eliminating duplication of effort

The joint development of the  MARCS System will provide the County, and all participating jurisdictions within the County, including all existing MARCS subscribers statewide as they work or roam into the County, with more

• complete, dense, and reliable portable radio coverage, 
• providing more 
• channel capacity in support of additional talk paths, and 
• facilitating direct communications between jurisdictions and differing safety services. The term of the agreement shall be effective as of the date of the last signature and expire on June 30, 2019. Thereafter, the agreement shall automatically renew at the beginning of each State biennium.

But there was more at yesterday's meeting.

Jackson Township officials (Fiscal Officer Randy Gonzalez, township legal counsel Mike Vacaro and legal counsel Randy Hunt (Krugliak, Wilkins) for ComDoc were at the meeting asking the commissioners to approve the following resolution:

In a subsequent blog within the next few days, The Stark County Political Report will deal with the Jackson/ComDoc agreement in detail and also present the SCPR video of the exchange between Hunt and Gonzalez and the commissioners.

For today the focus is on the Stark County Commissioners/OHIO DAS/MARCS "Exchange Agreement."

First, it is a relatively short (14 pages, including exhibits) agreement which "informed" Stark County residents ought to want to read.

(Photo as part of commissioners' signing MARCS Exchange Agreement)

Here is a SCPR videotaped interview published on December 1, 2014 with former Stark County commissioner Thomas Bernabei (now mayor of Canton since January 1, 2016) which digs deep on the time period going back that Stark officials knew that its "antiquated" safety forces radio system (a patchwork of countywide inadequate interoperability) would have to be replaced by the end of 2018 because the vendor for the old analog radios would no longer be servicing them (5 min, 32 sec).



The new Stark County/MARCS based system is scheduled to become operational January 1, 2019.  As early as July 23rd, Stark Countians will be seeing Motorola technicians work on the the AEP tower located in downtown Canton.

Canton's "Cromer" site is already completed.

Next, the SCPR produced video of interactions of various Stark County/Ohio officials (11 min, 32 sec).



In a follow up blog within a few days,  The Report will be sharing with readers this blogger's analysis of the positives and possible pitfalls implementation of the agreement is likely to bring.