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Committee forwards Hawaiian Telcom contract for Hilo emergency communications center amid reliability and timing concerns
Summary
Finance Committee forwarded a multi-year, roughly $200,000-per-year contract with Hawaiian Telcom for the new Hilo emergency communications center, while members pressed county staff about redundancy, equipment, and when the center will be fully operational.
The Hawaii County Finance Committee on July 9 voted to forward to the full council a resolution authorizing the mayor to enter a multi-year agreement with Hawaiian Telcom Inc. to provide communications services for a new Hilo emergency communications center.
Clerk told the committee the three-year agreement was estimated at $200,000 per year for the Fire and Police Department emergency operations. Council members pressed staff on technical reliability and redundancy for the 911 and dispatch systems. "This is our emergency, our heartbeat," Council member Evans said, asking whether the vendor had demonstrated reliability and whether hard-line or fiber redundancy and exterior equipment were part of the plan.
Battalion Chief Stacy Domingo and Director of Public Works Steve Houssey answered technical and timing questions. Domingo said the dispatch center uses primary and backup systems and distinguished those hard lines used for some offices from the primary 911 response system. Houssey gave a timeline: the call center building is expected to be complete in late August, followed by six to eight weeks of communications installation; he estimated the center would likely be fully functional by mid- to late October. Council members said they wanted contract timing and the lease/term to align with the date the center becomes operational.
The committee moved to forward Resolution 550-24 with a favorable recommendation; the clerk recorded nine members in favor. The resolution and accompanying contract will be considered by the full County Council.
