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East Greenwich approves final phase of public-safety communications and IT upgrade
Summary
Council approved contracts to complete an upgraded dispatch/communications system and related IT equipment; staff said the work will modernize radio, fiber and dispatch seating and should last many years.
The East Greenwich Town Council approved the final phase of a multi-year public-safety communications and IT upgrade, awarding a package of contracts and authorizing funds to complete new dispatch centers, fiber connections and vehicle radio updates.
The council approved the project at the recommendation of the town’s information technology director, Tim Wheeler. The project was presented as the final phase of a three-phase plan to modernize dispatch centers and town radio/fiber links. Wheeler said the work will replace aging equipment and connect two towers by fiber to improve stability and speed.
Wheeler and Emergency Management Administrator Colby Anderson outlined components of the award: Concept Seating Government LLC for upgraded dispatch chairs; RB Allen for a new fire alerting/dispatch interface; E Plus Technologies for server and licensing upgrades and electrical work; Island Tech Services for in-vehicle radio integration; Ocean (fiber vendor) to provide fiber backhaul for two towers; and additional work performed by the Town IT staff and Amazon purchases for hardware. Wheeler said in-house work and direct purchasing yielded significant savings versus full turnkey contracting.
The agenda packet and staff presentation corrected an earlier agenda figure. Staff noted the project’s total was revised downward from $605,915 (as printed) to a corrected total not to exceed $585,915; meeting remarks also recorded a sum of individual bids that appears in the record as $585,009.01 5. The council approved the package by voice vote; the motion carried unanimously.
Wheeler told council the upgrades will be durable: “this is gonna last us probably 10, 15 years. That's the goal.” The project will add two new dispatch workstations and replace aging infrastructure that in some cases was more than 20 years old.
Councilors asked questions about vendors, scope and timing; staff said they will present “before and after” documentation when the work is finished. The project will be paid from the town’s capital funds and fiscal appropriations already included in prior phases of the program.
Ending: Council approved the final-phase contract awards; staff will schedule and report back as the installations and fiber connections are completed.
