SALISBURY — As expected, Motorola’s support of the city’s 800 trunking system is ending, and Salisbury City Council will consider borrowing $2.5 million to upgrade the technology.
City Council will meet at 4 p.m. Tuesday in City Hall, 217 S. Main St.
Council members will consider awarding a sole source contract to Motorola for $2,487,772 to upgrade the system.
In 2004, the city borrowed $2 million to upgrade equipment dating back to the 1990s. While the city upgraded some equipment to digital, some analog equipment remains.
Salisbury and Rowan County in 2009 selected a consultant to come up with a strategic communications plan for the city and county.
“The city has waited as long as possible to maximize its investment in the existing equipment,” Assistant City Manager John Sofley said.
Rowan County is unable to purchase additional consoles for the new 911 telecommunications center until the system is upgraded, Sofley said.
Only after the upgrade will Rowan be able to complete the 911 dispatch consolidation with the city, he said.
In addition to the 800 trunking system upgrade, the city must purchase new mobile radios to replace analog radios, which will cost up to $1.6 million.
The maximum proposed amount for lease-purchase financing is $4 million, Sofley said.
Some trunking equipment and radios will be funded by the water and sewer fund, he said.
Rowan County made a $5 million purchase with Motorola in June 2012.
Also on Tuesday, City Council is scheduled to:
• Recognize the Salisbury High School women’s tennis team, women’s golf team and men’s golf team for winning state championships.
• Recognize Salisbury High School football coach Joe Pinyan for his 100th football win.
• Consider issuing retiring Deputy Police Chief Steve Whitley his sidearm and badge.
• Consider declaring the conditions behind the Okey Dokey General Store at 126 E. Innes St. a public nuisance. Council will hear from staff and hold a public hearing.
Despite attempts by the Code Services Division and the Fire Department to work with the property owners to remove the danger, there still remains a large amount of this debris and storage material that violates city code and state fire code, city Code Services Manager Chris Branham said.
• Consider a request from Fisher-Harriss Development to extend the period of vested rights for a previously approved site-specific development plan for Villas at the Crescent. Council will hear from staff and hold a public hearing.
Although the site plan was last approved by City Council in December 2007, the period of development approval was suspended from January 2008 until December 2011. This suspension period restarted the vested right clock on Jan. 1, 2012. Fisher-Harriss Development is requesting the maximum allowable vested right period of five years from the effective date of approval.
The property is in the Crescent subdivision off of Jake Alexander Boulevard.
• Consider a request from St. John’s Lutheran Church and Hedrick Reality to rezone two parcels from residential mixed-use to downtown mixed-use. The property includes St. John’s Lutheran Church campus and the Hedrick parking lot along Council Street.
Members of St. John’s Lutheran Church and their design team met with the city’s development services staff to discuss the construction of a new family life center to be constructed on the grassy knoll adjacent to the intersection of North Jackson Street and West Council Street.
It was discovered during this pre-application meeting that this part of the St. John’s campus is split-zoned between residential mixed-use to downtown mixed-use. Split zoning creates problems with the implementation of the Land Development Ordinance.
The petition proposes to capture the entire church campus under downtown mixed-use, as well as the parking lot.
Council will hear from staff and hold a public hearing.
• Consider designating the Downtown Urban Progress Zone for 2013-2014. Council will hear from staff and hold a public hearing.
• Consider applying for a National Endowment for the Arts “Our Town” Grant.
• Consider awarding a contract to Charlotte Truck Center in the amount of $113,608 for the purchase of a tandem axle dump truck.
• Consider executing an agreement with N.C. Department of Transportation regarding sidewalks and safe pedestrian crossings in the Salisbury Mall area.
• Consider appointments to the Parks and Recreation Advisory Board.
• Receive public comment.
• Heard City Manager Doug Paris’s comments.
Contact reporter Emily Ford at 704-797-4264.