DAUPHIN COUNTY BOARD OF COMMISSIONERS
LEGISLATIVE MEETING
MARCH 12, 2008 10:00 A.M.

MEMBERS PRESENT

Jeff Haste, Chairman
Dominic D. DiFrancesco, II, Vice Chairman
George P. Hartwick, III, Secretary

STAFF PRESENT

Chad Saylor, Chief Clerk; William Tully, Esq., Solicitor; Gary Serhan, Deputy Controller; Sandy Snyder, Register of Wills; Brooke Beard, Personnel; Randy Baratucci, Director of Purchasing; Diane McNaughton, Commissioners' Office; Tom Guenther, Director of IT; Amy Richards, Commissioners' Office; Jack Harlacker, EMA; Deb Lisi, Controller's Office; Leila McAdoo, Solicitor's Office; Edgar Cohen, Director of Facilities Maintenance; J. Scott Burford, Deputy Chief Clerk; Steve Shaver, Director of EMA; Josiah Frederick, Commissioners' Office; Mike Yohe, Director of Budget & Finance; Jena Wolgemuth, Commissioners' Office; Brenda Hoffer, Commissioners' Office; Dan Robinson, Director of Community & Economic Development; George Connor, Community & Economic Development and Richie-Ann Martz, Assistant Chief Clerk

GUESTS PRESENT

Garry Lenton, Greg Spells, Sr., Margaret Bohne Karpe, Ellen Pleasant, Dale Baer and Tom Shuler

MINUTES

CALL TO ORDER

Mr. Haste, Chairman of the Board, called the meeting to order at 10:00 a.m.

MOMENT OF SILENCE

Everyone observed a moment of silence.

PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE

Everyone stood for the Pledge of Allegiance.

APPROVAL OF MINUTES

Mr. Haste: We have five sets of meeting minutes that will be taken up at next week's meeting.

PUBLIC PARTICIPATION

Mr. Haste: We are at the point in time in the meeting for public participation. Is there anyone in the audience that would like to address the Board at this time?

Mr. Spells: My name is Greg Spells, Sr. I live at 2901 Spruce St., Harrisburg, PA 17109.

My concern is being directed to the Commissioners of Dauphin County and it involves the Heinz-Menaker Senior Center at 1824 N. Fourth St., Harrisburg, PA. There has been a grave concern about the operational ethics of that Center. It is our understanding that there is no charge to become a member of a senior community center in order to participate in activities funded through the Area Agency on Aging. It is also understood that contributions may be required for some activities and services. Why is $25 solicited and billed as a donation in order for a senior to become a member, as stipulated in the Heinz-Menaker Senior Center newsletter? The newsletter states that seniors who have paid this donation to become a member will be recognized in an upcoming newsletter. The last newsletter was in January. Membership cards have not been issued to those that paid the $25 donation. How are memberships going to be handled for those seniors that choose not to pay the forced donation? Will they have the same privileges that are granted all centers under the Area Agency on Aging? The center has by-laws, which are not followed, thus causing confusion. Article III of the By-laws states members of the Advisory Council shall be members of the Center. How does one become a member of the Center's Advisory Council when the issue of the membership needs to be resolved? The elections for the Advisory Council's officers have not been held annually in accordance with the By-laws. Why have By-laws if they are not going to be followed? By-laws are like the parliamentary procedures for the proper operation of organizations to our understanding. There is a scholarship fund, the Legree Daniels' Scholarship Fund. To our understanding it is set up for seniors to apply for membership assistance. There seems to be a contradiction in that at one point it is said that you don't have to pay a membership fee to become a member of a Pennsylvania Senior Center, but on the other hand thousands of dollars had been solicited and set aside to pay for memberships at the Heinz-Menaker Senior Center. Does the Center have records showing these solicited funds being used for the memberships since its inception? A copy of the application for this scholarship is enclosed with this letter. There are more issues, but these three would help you to better understand our concerns. There are six enclosures referencing the issues mentioned above and our efforts to have them addressed and resolved. It is our hope that, unlike in the past, the concerns about the Center's operation will not be swept under the carpet as being just a few disgruntled seniors venting. This should be a concern even if there was just one. This is respectfully submitted and this is our concern. I have a few seniors here with me. All of them couldn't come, but we do have a petition attached to this concern.

Mr. Hartwick: I had an opportunity to speak briefly with Mr. Spells prior to his comments. First of all I think you laid them out appropriately and I told him that I would take his concerns and pass it on to our Director of Aging. I for one gave to the Legree Daniels' Scholarship Fund for that purpose and I want to make sure any money that is being given for assistance to membership is being appropriately used. While I had no reason to believe and this was the first that I have been made aware of any of these complaints. If there is anything improper going on, we do have the responsibility to take a look at it and ask a couple questions and make sure we get answers to your concerns. The structure of the organization, as you know, money comes from the Department of Aging, through the Area Agency on Aging and then we help fund senior centers throughout Dauphin County. We do have the ability to go and ask some financial questions to get those questions answered. Once we do we will be more than willing to report back to the members what our findings are.

Mr. Spells: Yes, I would appreciate that.

Mr. Hartwick: Thanks again for your time.

Mr. Haste: Did you bring this to the Board's attention?

Mr. Spells: Yes, our issues were trying to be addressed for over a year. So far we have not had a favorable response. We had a response, but it wasn't clarified; such as membership. Membership is saying, we have a copy here saying that questions often answered for senior centers one of them is do you have to pay a fee to become a member of a senior center and it clearly states that no you don't. But then they solicit and make it mandatory to pay the $25. That is not a donation to my understanding. Then the issue of the scholarship fund, I understand that donations have been solicited for that fund over a period of time that accumulated thousands of dollars, but to my understanding it hasn't been used, but yet then say it is available to be used.

Mr. Haste: So, the Board hasn't really gotten back to you.

Mr. Spells: No.

Mr. Hartwick: He has taken the chain of command in his conversation with me. He has talked to the Director, the Board and then he went to the State Department of Aging and then the State Department of Aging directed him to the County Commissioners.

Mr. Spells: I was referred to you by another person because they said that the Commissioners should be the one that I should go to and the referral letter is right here.

Mr. Hartwick: You can give me that information after the meeting and we will follow up after the meeting.

Commissioners: Thank you.

Mr. Spells: Thank you and here is a copy for your records.

Mr. Haste: Is there anyone else who would like to address the Board? (There was none.)

DEPARTMENT DIRECTORS/GUESTS

1. Steve Shaver, Director of EMA
   1. SSI Update

Mr. Shaver: Today is an update of the process that is ongoing with regard to the radio project. SSI is here today to give an update with regard to the work that has been completed and the work that has yet to be done. I'm going to let them proceed. I have handouts for each one of you. I'll be available if you have any questions of me with regard to the project. The two gentlemen sitting behind me the one to the far left is Tom Shuler who just now has been assigned as the Project Manager with regard to any consulting services that are being provided by SSI and to his right is Dale Baer, the actual Manager of the Communications Consulting Group, within SSI.

Mr. Baer: SSI is a technology company. We have assisted Dauphin County since 1997. Currently we are working with you on the existing system. We are working with the Director, Mr. Shaver. I'll turn it over to Mr. Shuler. Mr. Shuler has just come into the project as Project Manager to replace an individual who went along with one of the vendors for the project. Between Mr. Shuler and I we have a lot of years of service providing communications to 911 that are public safety related. Mr. Shuler just completed two very large projects exactly like you are getting here.

Mr. Shuler: The presentation is not very long. I think it will give you a good overview of where the project is at this time.

We have been providing the review and management services in regard to your radio system since its inception. We began with participation in the proposal review process including evaluating RFP responses, attending the presentations made to the County by the competing vendors and recommending the successful vendor. Our work continued up to the current time with site acquisition for 15 sites.

The list of sites are Berry Mountain, Blue Mountain, Chambers Hill Fire Department, Conewago Township, Derry Township, Fairview Township, Ellendale, Londonderry Township, Lower Swatara Township, Lykens, Peters Mountain, Mahantango Mountain, which was a temporary site and there is also a permanent Mahantango Mountain site and Reservoir Park. The sites that are constructed have radio equipment installed or are ready for equipment installation include: Berry Mountain site, Blue Mountain site, Chambers Hill, Conewago equipment room and Dauphin ECC. These are just snapshots of the shelters on the sites. We have been deeply involved with the renovations for the dispatch center. There is the master site, which controls the whole system. Another site is the Dauphin ECC tower site, which supports the antennas. There is also the Dauphin ECC UPS Room, which is the power supply source that keeps the system running between the time it leaves the micro power and the backup generators come in service. Other sites that are in the process of being built are Derry Township, Ellendale, Fairview, Lower Swatara, Lykens, Peters Mountain and Reservoir Park.

We are playing a continuing major role in radio site location development, layout planning for the site, work specifications for the construction sites and communications site construction supervisory oversight to make sure the contractors do the work that they were engaged to do. We are also coordinating work orders and purchase orders for the remaining sites under design, modification and/or construction. Those sites are Berry Mountain (requires some upgrades), Blue Mountain (requires some upgrades), Chambers Hill Fire Department (down to the punch list), Derry Township (down to just the punch list), Ellendale (still requires some upgrades), Lykens (down to a punch list), Londonderry Township (under construction), Mahantango Permanent (under the design/construction phase), Peters Mountain and Reservoir Park (down to punch lists).

In addition we have completed licensing for frequencies in the 450 MHz to 470 MHz band to serve the Upper Dauphin County area. We have prepared and helped the County submit license applications for additional channels to provide local unit-to-unit coordination and operations. Our personnel participated in the radio system pre-ship Factory Acceptance Testing at Shaumburg, Illinois to assure that the system met all the prescribed operational capabilities before it was shipped. They actually put the system together on the floor and all the tests were run to make sure that the system would perform as prescribed.

As part of our continuing services, we will assist Dauphin County with finalizing the acquisition of the radio sites planned for: Londonderry Township (requires lease and permitting, which is now in progress and under construction); Mahantango Permanent Site (site development is in progress and soil tests, road designs and permits are under way); Pillow Site (on-going negotiations with the site owner and AT&T) and the Downtown Harrisburg Site (we are assisting the County with selection and negotiations for a location to assure radio communications in the buildings in the downtown area).

We will continue to assist the County with tracking progress of radio and microwave equipment deployment, developing or securing inventory and other documentation to establish a quality, as-built record of the system and its many diverse components so that once the system is completed your technical staff can look back and have documentation of everything that has been installed and ultimately seeing the project to a most successful conclusion. That is our quick report. We will be happy to answer any questions you may have.

Mr. Haste: I guess the key is, are we on schedule?

Mr. Shaver: It appears that we are going to be hitting our targets. Actually the project itself early on slid about six months in part due to the fact as far as the site negotiations are concerned. In most cases, as you know, the associated time involved with procuring a site is one thing, but then more or less going through the process of making sure that the County is protected with regard to that site is taking a little bit longer. Originally we had said that we would be completed with the project at the end of this year. As I had spoken at other meetings that has slid out, we are still on target for the middle of next year as far as the actual turn up and everybody over on to the system. We will be doing installs of mobile communications equipment, which has already been shipped for the subscribers as far as police and EMS. Fire will go on a little bit later with the rest of the installations. The City of Harrisburg has ordered their new fleet of vehicles. Those cars will actually be equipped with the new County communications radios. They will be able to use them on their existing frequencies, transitional over to the new system once the metro area is up and operational. We are moving along on target. As far as from the day one original contract, it is roughly about a six month slide, but in most cases I have expressed that concern to you early on with regards to that six months period. We are on target more or less.

Mr. Haste: Do you foresee any problems?

Mr. Shaver: There have been some software issues with regard to the one manufacturer, which we kind of expected. As you know, unfortunately, nowadays there is nothing as far as the wiring piece that you can jumper or take out of service to make something operate in a different manner. Everything is software driven. We have had some glitches there and in some cases we are currently in negotiations with Motorola to possibly decrease the cost of the contract, because of the time involved with staff actually assisting them with regards to those glitches. We are in the same issue with our microwave vendor. They actually ended up picking up costs associated with extra engineering that was required, because they just couldn't get it right day one. So, they actually paid for some consulting services associated with that. Budget wise we are on target. Basically we have to do a payment this month so that there is no arbitrage fees involved. With regard to the shipping of these mobiles for police and EMS we will meet that target by probably next week with regard to about $3 million, which we have to spend or basically then have to deal with the arbitrage. So, we are on target more or less.

Mr. Hartwick: You talked about staff taking care of a lot as it relates to software glitches and as I read through this presentation I know our staff is heavily involved in a lot of aspects. We are amending some of the work order for SSI, to what level is our staff doing a lot of the work that is outlined here versus SSI?

Mr. Shaver: This particular proposal as laid out and as the contract was laid out actually takes some of the responsibility, because we are so along in the process of deploying the system that some of that will actually be taken care of by staff. The proposal that was provided to you and also as far as the Solicitor's Office for review actually takes into consideration exactly what they will be doing. That proposal that you have is probably in its third iteration I believe. So, we have actually done some cutting and pasting with regards to taking some of the items out and actually now having staff handle some of that, because we are so far along in the process.

Mr. Hartwick: But, we are expending a total amount of payment is that because of the delay?

Mr. Shaver: That is partially because of the fact that the original contract with SSI was for a time synchronous period. We thought that by now or probably by the end of last year we would have been done with portions of whatever we needed to do. There was additional money actually put into the project itself from a bonding standpoint, or not so much from a bonding but in the original bond for additional dollars that we knew we would need with regards to additional consulting services. So, that is what they will actually be providing for us.

The other thing too is in some cases right now we are using basically two consultants, well actually three. HRG is doing particular items, Navarro & Wright is doing particular items and SSI is basically doing the communications end. Navarro & Wright as far as the purchase order that had more or less given to them for particular items that they were going to do with regard to the project. They more or less are way under where they were supposed to be, because in some cases that work was either done by our staff or actually by SSI. At the end of the day we are still within the realms of target and budget as it more or less is associated with our consulting services and engineering services.

Mr. Hartwick: If we could get maybe a summary of the scope of the work that we are approving so I can do a little evaluation for next week. I just want to know what we are buying here in the extension.

Mr. DiFrancesco: To know that you are not paying a retainer, you are paying for actual services rendered.

Mr. Hartwick: Exactly.

Mr. DiFrancesco: When it is tied to a calendar it seems like it is more of a retainer relationship and I just want to understand a little bit better of what is going on, because that is not what we are paying for.

Mr. Hartwick: In Human Services we are not doing program funding anymore we are doing fee for service and I don't want to program fund this.

Mr. DiFrancesco: I agree.

Mr. Shaver: That is more or less the way the original contract was laid out and this Addendum to the Contract is laid out. It is more or less for services. We can probably get you the spreadsheet associated with it and the hours involved and the tasking associated with that involvement in the process.

Mr. DiFrancesco: The dollar amounts that we are talking about we want to be absolutely certain what all is coming in and what we are getting for the dollar paid out.

Mr. Shaver: I understand completely and I can appreciate that point.

Mr. Hartwick: As long as it's not going to cost us any more money to have them here next week. If we have any questions could I get your contact information so before a vote I can get those questions answered?

PERSONNEL

Ms. Beard: Are there any questions on the Salary Board or Personnel Packets? (There was none.)

I would like to draw attention to #30 in the Personnel Packet Changes for the proposed Appropriation Code we have it as the same. It will be changing and I just wanted to bring that to your attention.

Mr. DiFrancesco: What will be changing?

Ms. Beard: Her proposed Appropriation Code will be 103-535100. She is transferring to a new Department. Everything else stays the same.

Mr. DiFrancesco: I will have some questions for the Solicitor after the meeting with regard to the Salary Board Packet.

PURCHASE ORDERS

Mr. Baratucci: I don't have anything to add to the report other than there are a couple budget items as usual that we will have to fix; otherwise the report is there for your review. I will answer any questions you might have on the report.

Mr. DiFrancesco: I'm just drawing a blank. Clarify for me, we are amending their SSI Contract, when will that show up in an amended purchase order because there is nothing in the packet?

Mr. Baratucci: When I get a requisition. I wasn't aware of this at all.

Mr. DiFrancesco: I was going through your Packet thinking it would be in there as an action item. I'm not even certain if we just amend the contract first and then go back and cut the PO or what.

Mr. Baratucci: Sometimes we do the contracts first and then the PO. Ideally it is good if we can do them both at the same time. If they can get a requisition to me we can have it added next week.

Mr. DiFrancesco: Steve stepped out.

Mr. Baratucci: I can ask Steve about that.

Mr. DiFrancesco: Thanks.

TRAINING PACKET

Mr. Saylor: I believe we should approve Item #9.

Mr. Haste: And #19.

It was moved by Mr. Hartwick and seconded by Mr. DiFrancesco that the Board approve Items #9 and #19 of the Training Packet; motion carried.

ITEMS FOR DISCUSSION

1. Tax Refund of 2007 Interim Real Estate Taxes - William & Amelia Snyder - Parcel #25-008-008-063-0630 - $38.85.
2. Professional Services Agreement Contract Continuance between Dauphin County and SSI, Services, Inc. The proposal is amending the existing contract to reflect estimated costs for SSI to continue the County's Public Safety Wireless Radio Communications Project.
3. First Amendment to Contract No. C000019133 - PA Department of Community & Economic Development New Communities Grant for Northern Dauphin County Revitalization Project. (***A VOTE IS REQUESTED 3/12/08***)

Mr. Haste: We have Items for Discussion A through C. There is a request for a vote on Item C. Is this the pass through for the Northern Dauphin?

Mr. Robinson: Yes.

It was moved by Mr. DiFrancesco and seconded by Mr. Hartwick that the Board approve Item C of Items for Discussion Item C, listed above; motion carried.

SOLICITOR'S REPORT - WILLIAM TULLY, ESQ.

Mr. Tully: All the items on the Report should be available for action next week. I would be happy to answer any questions you have and will be available after the meeting for discussion on Salary Board. (There was none.)

CHIEF CLERK'S REPORT - CHAD SAYLOR

Mr. Saylor: Commissioners, I have nothing unless there are any questions of me. (There was none.)

COMMISSIONERS' COMMENTS

Mr. DiFrancesco: I thought you guys would want to go first. What a great day it is to be a resident of Dauphin County when you have two of your high school teams playing each other in a State Championship. I'm just trying to figure out if I should be comfortable, because I have not graduated from either of the two high schools or if it is easier if you have graduated from one of the two high schools. At any rate it is pretty exciting to know that two Dauphin County teams will be playing each other for the State PIAA Championship in State College on Friday night.

Mr. Hartwick: I would certainly applaud both teams for making it, but I will go on record in hoping that there is a different outcome than there was in the District Finals and I suspect there will be. We are taking bets outside of here.

Mr. Haste: I would never wager an illegal bet.

Mr. DiFrancesco: If you want to get some.I'm trying to think what the appropriate things would be.

Mr. Hartwick: We'll talk about that outside the meeting. I'll wear a Susquehanna jersey for a day if Jeff will wear a Steel-High jersey.

Mr. Haste: As long as it wasn't one of yours I'm happy to do it.

Mr. Hartwick: It's going to say Hartwick on the back.

Mr. Haste: I wasn't able to go to the game, but my oldest son John kept texting me with the updates. Then I heard Steel-High won and then I heard CD girls won. This is a prime example of the quality of youth sports we have here in Central Pennsylvania. It's a shame we can't have three champions, but we do have three teams going into the finals right here all within a baseball throw of each other. That just again demonstrates the quality of youth sports we have in this area.

Mr. Hartwick: Central Dauphin won again in not only the State team title, but they won the individual team title in wrestling last week, which is phenomenal. Great athletic programs and certainly great academic places as well. We will have a room full of kids here in the next couple months.

Mr. Haste: That is a good thing. Did you see they put the picture of the Mayor out there, the player from Steel-High?

Mr. Hartwick: He is a classic. What other guy at 6'3" and 320 pounds can dribble between his legs and play a point guard position like that. He did eat all the pizza that we provided when they were here the last time.

PUBLIC PARTICIPATION

Mr. Haste: We are again at the point in time in the meeting for public participation. Is there anyone in the audience that would like to address the Board? (There was none.)

ADJOURNMENT

There being no further business, it was moved by Mr. DiFrancesco and seconded by Mr. Hartwick that the Board adjourn.