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HomeMy WebLinkAboutResolutions - 2011.04.21 - 18203MISCELLANEOUS RESOLUTION #11069 April 21, 2011 BY: FINANCE COMMITTEE, THOMAS MIDDLETON, CHAIRPERSON IN RE: ESTABLISHMENT OF OAKLAND COUNTY TELEPHONE OPERATING SURCHARGE RATE FOR THE PERIOD JULY 1, 2011 TO JUNE 30, 2012 TO THE OAKLAND COUNTY BOARD OF COMMISSIONERS Chairperson, Ladies and Gentlemen: WHEREAS Miscellaneous Resolution 1499279 authorized the telephone companies operating within Oakland County to levy up to four (4%) percent surcharge for emergency telephone operations (with the actual levy being $.57 per wireline, as then defined by State statutes, while the authorized amount could have been up to $.80 per wireline) with recognition that the surcharge would expire on December 31, 2006; and WHEREAS enabling legislation permitted the extension of wiretine and wireless operating surcharges from January 1, 2007 and through February 28, 2008 pending a more permanent solution; and WHEREAS the Board of Commissioners extended the telephone operating surcharge for 2007 and through February 28, 2008 at a rate of $.28 per line, as defined (down from the $.57 per line); and WHEREAS the $.28 per line, as defined, was to fund the construction of a new radio communication system and related operations ($.19 per line) and a one-time charge of $.09 per line for the acquisition of IP-based call-taking equipment ("NG-911 Project) for the County Sheriffs Office and local public safety answering points operating within Oakland County; and WHEREAS the Michigan Public Services Commission (MPSC) interpreted the legislation to limit the Board of Commissioner approved telephone operating surcharge of $.28 per line, as defined, to $A8 per line through Case Number U-15489 causing a restructuring of the NG-911 Project fund (capital costs) and the capital and operating costs of the new radio communications system; and WHEREAS Public Act 379 of 2008 requires the Board of Commissioners to review the amount of the operational surcharge it annually authorizes each spring and adjust, if applicable, the amount effective July 1 of that year; and WHEREAS the Board of Commissioners established a telephone operating surcharge rate for the period of Julyl, 2009 to June 30, 2010 of $.18 per line, as defined; and WHEREAS the telephone operating surcharge for the period July 1, 2010 through June 30, 2011 was set at $.23 per line, as defined, by the Board of Commissioners in spring 2010 to be used to construct and maintain the radio communications / E-9-1-1 functions for public safety (law enforcement, fire and emergency medical services) within Oakland County; and WHEREAS a memorandum dated February 4, 2011 from County Administration covering the financial and programmatic status of the Radio Communications Fund for the quarter ended December 31, 2010 was submitted to the Finance Committee for its March 17, 2011 meeting as well as a March 1, 2011 memorandum involving the recommendation of the telephone operating surcharge rate for the July 1, 2011 through June 30, 2012 period; and WHEREAS the Radio Oversight Committee, a committee of the CLEMIS Advisory Board, unanimously approved the extension of the $.23 per line telephone operating surcharge on March 3, 2011 for the July 1,2011 through June 30, 2012 period; and WHEREAS such approved operating surcharge resolution shall be submitted to the MPSC no later than May 16, 2011 for the period of july 1, 2011 through June 30, 2012; and FINANCE COMMITTEE Motion carried unanimously on a roll call vote. WHEREAS the County Administration believes that the °parity issue' as defined in correspondence supplied in connection with the setting of the prior year telephone operating surcharge requiring out-County law enforcement agencies (sans the City of Livonia Police Department, as Livonia is the CLEM1S disaster recovery / back-up site; such back-up costs have been and continue to be borne by Livonia) to increase their financial support of CLEMIS remains unresolved even as on-going discussions have occurred in fall and up to the present; and WHEREAS the non-County law enforcement agencies are charged a membership fee 10% higher than those agencies within Oakland County and are generally required to connect to the CLEMIS systems at their cost but such amounts are inadequate to provide parity with the CLEMIS subsidies provided by Oakland County taxpayers; and WHEREAS it was determined that the resolution of the CLEMIS Operating Fund financial issues were paramount to the operating efficiencies of local. law enforcement agencies, particularly given the reduction in most, if not all, agencies arising from the regional economy and declines in property values and, now, the anticipated reductions facing local units of government from State support reductions (e.g. revenue sharing and other State support); and WHEREAS increases in CLEMIS membership and other fees burdened on Oakland County law enforcement agencies could exacerbate the reductions in law enforcement services. WHEREAS the resolution of the parity issue is not going to occur prior to the submission of the operating surcharge rate requirement imposed by the State. NOW THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED that the Oakland County Board of Commissioners authorizes the extension of the operating surcharge on telephone lines, defined by State statute, for the period of July 1, 2011 through June 30, 2012 to cover the operations, construction and necessary provisions of the Radio Communications Fund in the amount of $.23 per line, as defined. BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the anticipated telephone operating surcharge revenue for the period of July 1, 2011 through June 30, 2012 was based on the 5.23 per line, as defined was used for the County's FY-2011 and 2012 operating budgets; therefore, no budget amendment is required at this time. BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that County Administration and the law enforcement agencies plan to continue working towards resolving the "parity issue" as described in FY 2010 for discussion with the Board of Commissioners no later than the FY 2012-2014 CLEMIS Fund budget hearing, BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the Chairman of the Finance Committee shall appoint a task -three of commissioners to consider the parity issue with a report due back no later than June 30, 2011 for consideration in the budget hearings in the summer; such task force shall include local law enforcement officials and CLEMIS staff members as appropriate. Chairperson, on behalf of the Finance Committee, I move the adoption of the foregoing resolution. FINANCE COMMITTEE I !,tEREE$11 AFT.OVE FORE OtUTION Resolution #11069 April 21, 2011 Move by Covey supported by Long the resolutions (with fiscal notes attached) on the Consent Agenda be adopted (with accompanying reports being accepted). AYES: Crawford, Dwyer, Gershenson, Gingell, Gosselin, Greimel, Hatchett, Hoffman, Jackson, Long, Matis, McGillivray, Middleton, Nash, Nuccio, Potts, Quarles, Runestad, Scott, Taub, Weipert, Woodward, Zack, Bosnic, Covey. (25) NAYS: None. (0) A sufficient majority having voted in favor, the resolutions (with fiscal notes attached) on the Consent Agenda were adopted (with accompanying reports being accepted). STATE OF MICHIGAN) COUNTY OF OAKLAND) I, Bill Bullard Jr., Clerk of the County of Oakland, do hereby certify that the foregoing resolution is a true and accurate copy of a resolution adopted by the Oakland County Board of Commissioners on April 21, 2011, with the original record thereof now remaining in my office. In Testimony Whereof, I have hereunto set my hand and affixed the seal of the County of Oakland at Pontiac, Michigan this 21st day of April, 2011. 094 Bill Bullard Jr., Oakland County