A.G. Gancarski
Thursday’s slate of Chief Administrative Officer Sam Mousa’s Jacksonville Transition Team budget reviews continues with a romp through intragovernmental services with Paul Martinez, director, and a cavalcade of others, including Undersheriff Pat Ivey. A ton of cops here. Mousa: “They brought the heat! Whatever you want, it’s approved!”
As if.
3:51: A look at IT’s 5 year plan. JSO is up first, and the main focus is on mobile radio refresh and the Computer Aided Dispatch System, with a request of $4.5M total. A combined 911/CAD system, currently separate for Police and for Fire. The current system is End of Life in 2018. The proposal: a new, integrated 911/CAD system.
3:57: There was a server replacement last year; a several hundred thousand dollar purchase, which was a “Band-Aid.” It will be used until 2018. A “server on steroids,” a “hardware piece of equipment.” Maintenance is $325K per annum.
3:58: Mousa: “If we found you $4.5M today, this system would not come on line until 2018?” Answer: yes. It takes a couple of years to bring these systems on-line.
3:59: Mousa is skeptical of the idea that the funding has to be in place before signing a contract. “Most people take a gamble” with partial payment before full performance.
4:01: Typically, says Procurement Director Greg Pease, funding is in place before the RFP.
4:02: Mousa pushes back.
4:02: “It would be very poor practice” not to have the appropriation fully funded, says Shuman. Mousa says it would be “foolish” not to extend the appropriation year by year. Shuman says what they need is “planning money,” not procurement money, which would be necessary at a future date.
4:05: Discussion of General Counsel position on whether the money has to be there before the bid. Pease argues that the funding should be assured, to guard against Council making a “funny decision,” “assuring the project gets done.”
4:07: Mousa is intransigent. He doesn’t buy the idea that the RFP will cost even as much as the $250K. Consultants are being brought in for early-stage development. Mike Weinstein argues that this should be done “step by step,” at the “appropriate time.”
4:08: Mousa thinks they should just come back when the RFP is complete to secure funding for “next-phase money.”
4:11: Mousa tells Ivey that the project is “nowhere near ready” for $4.5M. Ivey nods vigorously. “That’s what I’m hearing.” On to mobile radios, which have been cannibalized, scavenged, and so on.
4:12: Currently, there are 400 mobile radios in detective cars. Failure rate is eight per month. Looks like mobile radios replacements are sold.
4:18: On to Fleet Management now. Subfund rollup discussion. “The 70 percent Confidence Level is killing us,” says Weinstein.
4:22: Car repairs are up big. Seems like there are a couple of problem vehicles that need to be removed from service. Keep this in mind if you think you’re getting a deal buying a used police car.
4:28: A discussion of costs of internal repair versus outsourcing. There allegedly is “constant process improvement,” with a lot of repair jobs outsourced. Mousa and Weinstein want a comprehensive list of who is serviced and what tasks are and aren’t outsourced. They would have made great journalists.
4:30: Vehicle Replacement Fund is on now. This is built around a replacement schedule. The list right now is $26M. The smaller the replacement list is, the less cash comes in.
4:35: 3700 vehicles are on the list of city vehicles, all are scored. There is a $27M list of cars that are “eligible” for replacement. Last year, they got $27.9M. However, they need to be over $20M for the next four years to catch up. Police officers might be riding two in a car, and other existential issues may crop up, because of fleet neglect.
4:40: The estimate is that 1,000 vehicles need replacement, including fire trucks. The average cost, excluding fire trucks, is $30K per vehicle. The total needs are $56M; the ask is for half of that sum. They’d like 300 police cars replaced. “They’re riding double.” There also is an estimate that 40 cars will get totaled this year; “anticipated wreck replacements.”
4:46: Last year, the list was 546; the city provided less than half of that. The past three years, 149 vehicles have been wrecked; no replacements provided. An officer makes this case, as Mousa and Weinstein have a quiet conversation. The sale is not being made so easily.
4:48: Such great drama.
4:49: They’re looking for 695 vehicles. Mousa wants more details. Weinstein is asking for more also.
4:53: Shari Shuman wants to know, regarding the wrecked cars, if insurance covers when someone other than an officer is at fault. Some drivers are uninsured. The insurance money lands in the Vehicle Replacement Fund. If the car is a 2008, and has depreciated, the full replacement cost obviously won’t be paid.
4:57: “In the old days, we’d put depreciation money into a savings account. We did that for every vehicle… that’s how we literally did it. Under the Peyton Administration, there was a different capital thinking… for computers, desktops… we’d buy everything with cash. We had enough discipline in the old days… now it’s all gone. We have great credit; our credit is wonderful. We can’t make the monthly payment.” Sam Mousa, again.
5:02: Mousa is advocating a system that prioritizes police replacements over others, because public safety is paramount to Lenny Curry. “We need to come up with something that’s fair to all departments, but reflects the mayor-elect’s priorities. Police first, Fire second, Public Works third. Parking can walk.”
