A SPECIAL MEETING OF THE BOARD OF COUNTY COMMISSIONERS
E911 WORKSHOP
MAY 2, 1989
The Lake County Board of County Commissioners met in workshop session on Tuesday, May 2, 1989, at 2:00 p.m., in the Board of County Commissioner's Meeting Room, Lake County Courthouse, Tavares, Florida. Commissioners present at the workshop were: C. W. "Chick" Gregg, Chairman: Richard Swartz; Michael J. Bakich; Thomas J. Windram; and Don Bailey. Others present were: Christopher C. Ford, County Attorney; James C. Watkins, Clerk and Acting County Manager; Ava Kronz, Assistant to the County Manager; Robert K. McKee, Chief Deputy Clerk; Mr. Lonnie Strickland, Director of Health and General Services; Mr. Bruce Thorburn, E911 Coordinator; George E. Knupp, Lake County Sheriff: and Linda Springston, Deputy Clerk.
E911/EAST CENTRAL FLORIDA REGIONAL PLANNING COUNCIL
HEALTH & GENERAL SERVICES/SHERIFF'S DEPARTMENT
Mr. Lonnie Strickland, Director of Health and General Services, appeared before the Board to discuss E911 and Addressing. He stated that the Board had instructed him to review the Sheriff's request for additional Complaint Takers for the E911 system. He noted that after reviewing the Sheriff's budget, from the last five months of operation, a determination could not be made of what is currently in the reserve budget. Therefore, a recommendation has been made for an outside auditor to review the Sheriff's budget to determine reserve funding.
Mr. Strickland stated that he had recommended that three people per shift be hired on a temporary basis, until the amount of workload is determined. He noted that the State of Florida recommends, for the demographics and population in Lake County, two Complaint Takers per shift.
Sheriff Knupp appeared before the Board and stated that two people per shift would not cover 24 hours a day on 12 hour shifts, and that the peak times for workloads are 10:00 a.m. until 10:00 p.m., and 3:00 p.m. until 3:00 a.m. He referred to a memorandum submitted by the previous Sheriff, which stated that funding was not available in the present budget for the E911 system.
Sheriff Knupp stated that there is a definite need for three dispatchers per shift, for the Communications Center. The Sheriff's Department is responsible for answering 90% of the E911 calls within 10 seconds, and they also handle the dispatching for the entire County, including seven cities.
Discussion occurred regarding hiring the necessary personnel, either on a permanent or temporary basis, and then determining the workload, to review what is needed to staff the system.
Sheriff Knupp stated that would like to hire the best qualified people for Complaint Takers, because of the seriousness of the calls in which they are handling. He further stated that, he does not object to hiring those people on a part-time basis.
Commr. Gregg noted that these temporary employees would be retained on a probationary period until the workload is determined.
Sheriff Knupp informed the Board that, at present, there are five Dispatch/Complaint Takers, and that there are not any extra personell to relieve those individuals, for lunch breaks, sickness, or vacations.
Commr . Swartz stated that the Sheriff could inform the individuals who are applying for those positions that they will be reviewed, in the future, to determine the necessity of their positions. By the next budget year, the appropriate data should be available for those positions, whether it be for the three requested, or more.
Mr. Strickland discussed the pay scale with the Board, and noted that, at the Waterman Dispatch Console, the Dispatchers are paid $7.06 per hour, and he recommends that the Sheriff's Department hire the additional Complaint Takers at that rate.
On a motion by Commr. Swartz, seconded by Commr. Bailey and carried unanimously, the Board approved the request to add three additional personnel, per shift, to be classified as temporary personnel, and paid at a salary which is consistent with the Dispatch/Complaint Taker personnel in the Sheriff's Department.
These personnel will be evaluated based on the level of E911 services, and the funding for those positions adopted or incorporated into the budget for the next Fiscal Year, with the complaint taking function remaining under the Sheriff's Department.
Commr. Swartz requested staff to present specific budget amendments for the transfer of the necessary funds for the next Board meeting, May 9, 1989.
Mr. Strickland informed the Board that within one week the County will have screen display for the E911 system, and staff plans to begin utilizing Fire Department and other emergency personnel, to test the system for certain problems. The system will be thoroughly checked by utilizing "flood calls", which consists of asking one area of the County, to flood the system with calls, all at one time, utilizing the number "811".
Mr. Strickland noted that, the system is scheduled to be on-line July 1, 1989, at a level of enhanced 911, provided there are not any serious system problems. He explained the meaning of enhanced 911 (E911), to the Board, as being, when a resident calls in on their telephone, the call comes into one of the consoles which will dispatch emergency services to the residence. The address, location, name, who services the area, and other pertinent information will appear on the console. He further explained that a 911 system without enhancement, only has voice contact with the emergency services. Emergency services can still locate the residence by directions which are given over the telephone.
Mr. Strickland discussed the Addressing processs with the Board. He stated that the County is creating a computerized Georgraphic Informational System (GIS), and that under the Ordinance for the Addressing system, certain mobile home parks had been exempted, which was interpreted by staff to be a temporary exemption.
Mr. Strickland noted that the majority of the residents in the audience today are representative of The Springs, Waterwood, and Sun Eden mobile home parks, which are areas of concern because they were not exempted and would like to be. He understood, referring to the ordinance, that exemptions for the municipalities were not temporary, but the exemptions for the existing mobile home parks were.
Mr. Bruce Thorburn, E911 Coordinator, appeared before the Board and explained the process of the E911 system. He stated that the County creates a Master Street Address Guide (MSAG), which sets the parameters of low to high address ranges, in a designated area of the County, enabling calls to be routed to the appropriate emergency service.
Mr. Strickland noted that the address changes for The Springs, Waterwood, and Sun Eden, have been sent out, and for staff to go back and change these addresses again could be done, on a singular basis, but those changes would take a considerable amount of time.
Mr. Strickland stated that the grid system, in which every 10 feet there is an address, is beneficial, because if a platted subdivision was replatted to multi-family, the address numbering system would already be there.
Commr. Swartz noted that, staff had been given these guidelines and procedures to follow, for the addressing system, by the previous Board, and that the staff is presently working within those parameters. It is up to the present Board, if they choose to change those guidelines. Also, if the Board does decide to request the East Central Florida Regional Planning Council (ECFRPC), to assist in reviewing the direction for the County should take, based that information, the County may wish to make some changes in the parameters.
Mr. Strickland informed the Board that, the County will not know how well the system has been put into effect, until the computer has been turned on, and they begin receiving calls into it.
Only then will the County be able to determine the percentages of residences who have accepted the numbering system. Current estimates are for a four percent error rate, to the numbering system.
Some discussion occurred regarding whether to renumber existing mobile home parks, or to leave them as they are.
Mr. Strickland stated that, it may be possible for a representative from State 911 to make a presentation to the Board, which could assist the Board in their decision as to whether it is advisable to create exemptions within the system, or have two different types of addressing systems. He pointed out that the County can have enhanced 911 without the current addressing system.
Mr. Strickland stated that he understood that the exemptions on subdivisions and mobile home parks are temporary, unless the policy changes.
Mr. Steve Richey, Attorney representing The Springs and Waterwood, appeared before the Board and stated that, a request was filed, pursuant to the Statutes, by the residents of these mobile home parks, requesting that these parks be exempt. The Addressing Ordinance, which the County had passed, indicated that existing towns and subdivisions would have the right to be exempted. When these exemption requests were filed, it was the County staff's position that the grid numbering system was to be carried through.
Therefore, the requests to allow these parks to use their existing numbering system was denied. They, then, filed a request to the Code Enforcement Board for appeal (which had not yet been addressed), and the Code Enforcement Board will require that the parks have a more than adequate reason for exemption.
Mr. Richey stated that if the staff was to work with these existing communities, and they meet certain criteria, that staff should be able to grant the exemptions.
Commr. Swartz questioned, if these communities' address numbers could be entered into the system as they exist, would the enhanced system still be possible, if emergency service personnel could still locate the residence without difficulty.
Mr. Thorburn stated that, if those communities are individual identified within the County's grid system, and if that numbering system follows a standard pattern of addressing, that the emergency service personnel would be able to locate them. He noted that any changes would need to be made to the MSAG, and ensure that the United Telephone Customer Service Data Base phone numbers matched the parameters set by the MSAG.
Mrs. Kathy McDonald, Special Projects Coordinator, stated that, creating a separate addressing entity, may cause problems with locating those areas, when new emergency service personnel come on board, that are unfamiliar with the County.
Mr. James C. Watkins, Acting County Manager, informed the Board that in the grid system, all the emergency personnel need to do to locate a certain residence, is to use the number assigned, without the necessity of a street name, based upon the grid system's process of numbering every 10 feet of property.
Mr. Richey stated that, possibly, the County could assign a grid number to a certain area which is exempted, with addresses under that grid number.
Mr. Watkins noted that there is currently one mobile home park that has one major grid number, with unit numbers within that area.
Mr. Strickland stated that, every street is identified by Section, Township and Range, and that the grid system is more likely to become inadequate, when a considerable amount of exemptions are granted. He also stated that, staff must know how many exemptions the Board wishes to grant, and the parameters for those exemptions.
Mr. Watkins noted that, the County could benefit from experts, such as, ECFRPC, making a presentation to the Board on the strengths and weaknesses of this grid system, and assist in determing the process of how to grant exemptions, for the E911 system.
Mr. Thorburn stated that, the MSAG sets the parameters for the input of the updated acceptance records from United Telephone, therefore, if a resident does not change their address, as the County has requested, the enhanced system will show that the residence is not located there. The customer is responsible for calling United Telephone, to inform them of the updated change to their address; it is then forwarded to the E911 Coordinator, in the form of a daily updated tape, loaded into the system, which is set within the parameters of the MSAG.
Mr. Thorburn further stated that, if the residents desire a certain address to show up in the system, the MSAG parameters may be changed: but, every residence on that street must call United Telephone informing them of the changes. If that is not done, the residence will have only basic 911 coverage, which is voice only capability, and no information will be displayed on the screen.
Commr. Gregg noted that, the grid system staff is utilizing, is a typical addressing grid system. This system will also enable information to be digitized for the location of wetlands for soil classification for the Lake County Water Authority, and for use by the Planning and Zoning Department, and several other types of services.
Commr. Gregg directed Mr. Strickland to contact the ECFRPC, in order to arrange a meeting with them and the Board, for some time in the future.
Mr. Edward Hammond, a resident of Waterwood, appeared before the Board to state his concerns to the Addressing phase of the E911 system.
Mr. Thornburn stated that United Telephone issues a customer a telephone number at a recognizable location, the E911 system must have that location and that number must be on the residence. There is no problem with the resident receiving their mail at a different location.
Mr. Richey noted that he would like the Board to set some criteria to follow, for exemptions: and his client's are willing to wait for a final decision to their requests for exemption, until the ECFRPC has an opportunity to assist the County in making a determination for the exemption process.
Mr. Joe Stephany, who previously was the County's Emergency Services Director, appeared before the Board and stated that he had initially devised the Geographic Location Addressing System, and offerred a brief explanation of the background of that system.
Mr. Ed Treeon, a Lake County Deputy Sheriff, stated that there are several streets, which he patrols, that are not on the grid system, and wondered how emergency service personnel will locate them.
Mr. Strickland stated that the Sheriff's Department needs to receive updated County maps for their deputies, and that he would like to review the map with Mr. Treeon to ensure that those streets are, in fact, on the map.
Ms. Louise Gentry, a resident of Waterwood, stated that she, and all of the residents on Cluster-wood Street, had not been notified of their new address.
Mrs. McDonald informed Ms. Gentry that, on the plat of Waterwood, that particular street did not show up, but it is now being handled.
MEETINGS/ORDINANCES/PLANNING & DEVELOPMENT
Commr. Gregg informed the members of the Board that the Mining Ordinance Workshop, which was scheduled for May 9, 1989, at 2:00 p.m., has been cancelled, and will be rescheduled for another time.
MEETINGS/MUNICIPALITIES
Commr. Gregg stated that the next Town Hall Meeting was to be scheduled for May 18, 1989, but due to the fact that two of the Commissioners will be out of town, it will be scheduled for some time in June.
E911/EAST CENTRAL FLORIDA REGIONAL PLANNING COUNCIL
HEALTH & GENERAL SERVICES/SHERIFF'S DEPARTMENT (CONT'D.)
Mr. T. J. Townsend, a resident of The Springs, appeared before the Board to point out, that, under the present numbering system in the The Springs, when emergency services arrive to locate a particular residence, there should not be any problems with finding it. Therefore, he requested that The Springs be given fair consideration for an exemption.
There being no further business to be brought to the attention of the Board, on a motion by Commr. Windram, seconded by Commr. Bakich and carried unanimously, the Board approved to adjourn the workshop meeting at 3:50 p.m.
C. W. "CHICK" GREGG, CHAIRMAN
ATTEST:
JAMES C. WATKINS, CLERK
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