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Budget committee advances amended Motorola radio contract after auditors flag weak tracking
Summary
The Budget & Finance Committee advanced a resolution to extend the citywide Motorola 800 MHz radio contract but accepted the analyst’s amendment to reduce the requested increase; analysts questioned the Department of Technology’s past accounting and asked for stronger spending controls.
The San Francisco Board of Supervisors’ Budget & Finance Committee on June 17 advanced a resolution that would amend the citywide Motorola 800 megahertz radio system agreement while sharply limiting the next authorization increase and ordering improved oversight.
The Department of Technology’s new director, Mark, told the committee the city’s public‑safety radios are aging and failing at roughly 300 devices a year. He said the average replacement cost is about $3,000 per device and that, absent the amendment, the city risks running out of manufacturer parts before a full system modernization is complete. “Whatever money we commit to the replacement of a failing device will come in deduction to the upgrade, as we roll out the new technology,” he said.
Budget analyst Mr. Rose, however, said the department could not document how previous contract dollars were allocated across departments or identify specific annual costs, equipment types and maintenance services. The analyst recommended amending the proposed $28 million authorization by $4 million — effectively reducing the immediate request — and urged the department to centralize spending controls and publish metrics for device replacement by department.
Captain John Feeney of SFPD described practical needs on the ground, saying batteries and a steady supply of radios are “a lifeline” for officers and that some radios in the fleet are 14 years old. Feeney said the department recycles equipment when possible and relies on the radio shop for reconditioning, but that missing parts from the vendor have caused permanent losses of radios in some cases.
After discussion, the committee approved the budget analyst’s amendment and moved the resolution as amended without opposition. Members said they supported replacing failing radios for public safety but stressed the need for centralized inventory controls and clearer spending records before approving larger, multi‑year authorizations.
Next steps: the item advances to the full Board of Supervisors for final action at the date listed on the committee’s schedule.
