To: Tim Navarre, Assembly President
Kenai Peninsula Borough Assembly Members
Thru: Dale Bagley, Mayor
Thru: Bob Bright, Planning Director
Thru: Bonnie Golden, Grants Manager, CEDD
Thru: Jeff Sinz, Finance Director
From: Jan Henry, Emergency Management Coordinator
Date: August __, 2001
Re: Receipt of federal funds for the purpose of developing a Mobile Communications Vehicle and improving the Borough's siren system
The Kenai Peninsula Borough requested federal funding to support our emergency response operations. (See attached Supplemental Appropriation Request to Senator Steven's office.) The immediate need was made apparent during the Kenai Lake Fire and the Mystery Creek Fire. The request was opportune in that it coincided with the Congressional consideration of the FFY2001 supplemental appropriations act. The bill which contained our request for $750,000 was passed by Congress and signed into law by President Bush. Funding is to be provided to the KPB Spruce Bark Beetle program for emergency response. Because of the nature of the grant, the Office of Emergency Management will be responsible for expenditures made under the grant.
The total funding request was for $750,000, with $250,000 for a mobile communications vehicle and the remaining $500,000 for communication upgrades. The recent fires highlighted the need for a communications vehicle. OEM will be gathering information from emergency response professionals, developing and distributing a bid package, and awarding a contract for the vehicle.
The $500,000 will be used as part of OEM's communications upgrade project. This project was presented to the Assembly during our FY2001/02 budget process. At that time, the project was intended to be a 3-year project, totaling approximately $827,000. With the approval of the budget, $310,150 was appropriated to OEM for communications upgrades. However, with the federal funding, the timeline for this project can be greatly reduced and could be completed within 18 months.
The attached ordinance accepts the federal grant and appropriates the funds for the purposes described in the Supplemental Appropriation Request.