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Council authorizes multi‑year Motorola agreement and COVID‑fund transfer to join Ventura County regional radio system
Summary
The council authorized a Sourcewell cooperative contract with Motorola Solutions and an interfund transfer from COVID‑19 recovery funds to support a planned transition to the Ventura County Regional Radio System. Staff presented a roughly $8.9 million 7‑year cost and asked to transfer $5,478,326 from COVID funds; the motion passed unanimously.
Simi Valley staff asked the council on Nov. 17 to authorize a multi‑year agreement with Motorola Solutions and to transfer COVID‑19 recovery funds to support the city’s transition to the Ventura County Regional Radio System.
Information technology and public‑safety staff described a project that replaces the city’s aging radio infrastructure with a subscription‑based regional system governed by participating agencies. Staff presented an initial equipment and services cost of about $6.6 million, recurring subscription and other costs over seven years of about $1.8 million, and a contingency of $425,000 for total estimated 7‑year costs of roughly $8.9 million.
Staff asked the council to authorize the mayor to execute an agreement with Motorola Solutions (via the Sourcewell cooperative master contract) for an amount read during the presentation as not to exceed $5,733,595 (staff read a figure during the hearing). To fund the multi‑year implementation, staff requested a supplemental budget and an interfund transfer of $5,478,326 from the COVID‑19 recovery fund into the radio communications project fund; staff said the COVID fund currently held approximately $6 million and the transfer would leave about $521,000.
Council members asked about equipment life expectancy, long‑term subscription costs and why staff elected to fund the seven‑year term now rather than annual budgeting. Staff said longer contracts reduce administrative overhead, lock in pricing, and avoid mid‑contract price increases; they also noted the city currently pays about $200,000 per year on service for the aging system and estimated a post‑transition subscription of roughly $120,000 per year (around $20 per radio per month for an estimated 500 radios).
Council Member Litster moved to authorize the mayor to execute the Motorola agreement in a form approved by the city attorney and to approve the $5,478,326 supplemental budget transfer; the motion passed unanimously.
Next steps: staff will finalize remaining agreements and return in December with final contract documents for administrative approval and program implementation; the first phase of equipment installation and migration is scheduled for early 2026.
