Subject: [NEXTEL-1] Executive faces criticism from County Council

From: Marcel <[email-masked]>
Date: Mon, 12 May 2003 23:12:56 -0400

Executive faces criticism from County Council

Price of new radio system far exceeded expectations; 'We were
blindsided'; Project to cost $35 million instead of $15 million

By Ryan Davis
Sun Staff
Originally published May 11, 2003

Anne Arundel County Council members agree with County Executive
Janet S. Owens that the county needs a new public-safety
communications system - but they are still recovering from a case of
sticker shock after learning this month that its cost has more than doubled.

The fallout over the system, which has ballooned in cost to $35 million,
has council members saying that Owens circumvented their authority.
Their criticism of the Democratic executive is some of the most intense
since last fall, when she was re-elected and the new
Republican-dominated council was elected.

"We were blindsided," said Councilman Edward R. Reilly, a Republican
from Crofton. "That's not the way county government is supposed to
work."

Three years ago, Owens' administration asked the council for money for a
$15 million upgrade to the radio system that police and firefighters use to
communicate. The system has several dead spots around the county
where radios don't work. It's dangerous, everyone agreed.

In May 2000, Budget Officer John Hammond told the council that $23
million was the "ceiling" price for the project, according to transcripts.

He also said that "if it turns out, as a result of doing this consultant's work
... that it's gonna be more than the $15 million anticipated, we're not going
to ... be shy about coming down and letting people know that we might
need more money," according to transcripts.

As it turned out, consultants found that the system had a more severe
problem than expected with cell phone interference. County
administrators determined that it would take $35 million - not $15 million
- to make the appropriate changes.

And in December of last year, the county entered into a contract with
Motorola to fix the system.

But no one told the council about the price increase until this month.

At her May 1 budget unveiling, Owens said, "We have budgeted an
additional $20 million over four years for the 800 megahertz radio
communication system."

Council members fumed, and county administrators agreed this week that
there were some dead spots in the communication between Owens and
the county's legislative branch.

"In retrospect, maybe it would have made everyone feel better if we
would have [said] something sooner," said Walter Chitwood, assistant to
the chief administrative officer, who was designated to speak for the
administration.

Last week, Council Vice Chairman C. Edward Middlebrooks compared
the county's action to overspending on a car. He said it's the same as
giving his child $1,000 to buy a car, only to find out that his child used the
$1,000 for a down payment, and now he has to pay for the car over
several years.

"If one of my kids had done this to me," the Severn Republican said at a
budget hearing last week, "I'd be furious."

Council members said they will be forced to take a closer look at future
expenditures proposed by Owens. Unofficial assurances about spending
won't suffice anymore, Reilly said. In effect, the council wants to remind
Owens about the balance of power, Reilly said.

County administrators defended themselves to the council, saying the
council doesn't have to approve the additional $20 million. The contract
could be voided after the $15 million first phase, Chitwood said, and the
county would have a better radio system than it has now.

But that lower-priced system would be the bare minimum needed,
Chitwood said. There still would be serious cell phone interference
troubles that might prevent radio calls from getting through.

Council members responded during last week's budget hearing that the
administration has tied their hands. Middlebrooks said the council would
be blamed for risking the lives of police officers if it doesn't approve the
additional spending.

"I don't know if I'm going to sleep at night if I know I'm going to risk a
police officer's or a firefighter's life," he said at the hearing.

Middlebrooks later said the council may be able to avoid spending more
money on the project next fiscal year because the funding may not be
needed yet.

The council must approve a budget, with or without funding for a new
radio system, by the end of this month.

http://www.sunspot.net/news/local/annearundel/bal-ar.radio11may11,0,3761144.story?coll=bal-local-arundel

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