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Council asks for clearer cellular and emergency-communications plan before moving to planning phase
Summary
Franklin Park councilors discussed gaps in proposed wireless master-plan work, pressing consultants to deliver a solution that ensures county-monitored emergency radio interoperability and robust resident survey data before advancing to the conceptual planning (phase 3).
Council members debated whether to move the borough—ommunications project into phase 3 of a proposed wireless master plan after consultants presented recommendations that initially relied on a UHF frequency the borough—mergency services said the county does not monitor.
Council members and staff said consultants (Cityscape and a firm referred to as FE in the presentation) returned a low-cost UHF option that would not meet the borough—mergency-services requirement that police and fire be on a frequency monitored by the county. "Their other recommendation was keep our fingers crossed and hope that the county provides for us. And that doesn't always happen as we've seen," one council member said. Council staff reported a phone call including Cityscape, FE, borough counsel and public-safety representatives in which the borough told consultants the UHF approach would not meet operational needs.
Several council members said they support moving to phase 3—onceptual planning and a draft wireless master plan—ut only after consultants return recommendations that respect operational constraints and provide estimated costs. "They're gonna come back with another recommendation for us that we can consider as part of this and with an estimated cost for their recognition," a staff member said. Members also stressed that the next phases should include public input by survey before public meetings: "Let's start with the survey... If the survey gives you enough data across the borough, you're good," one member said.
Council discussed the structure of phase 3: staff described phase 3 as planning-scenario development that includes Cityscape conceptual scenarios, draft master plans and options for public meetings and surveys in subsequent phases. Several members urged consultants to identify where distinct services (county emergency radio, public-works communications, cellular coverage) are weak and to recommend targeted fixes rather than prebuilt solutions. Council members did not take a formal vote at the meeting but directed staff to secure clearer proposals, request cost estimates and to include a resident survey option in the next phase.
Ending: Council asked staff to require consultants to address county-monitored emergency frequencies, clarify costs for alternate approaches and to stage public outreach beginning with a borough-wide survey.
