Township Acts to Upgrade Communication Systems

A new phone system at the municipal complex, upgraded 9-1-1 system and a required switch in police radio frequencies are three steps the township will be taking this year to modernize and improve communications, if an ordinance introduced at Tuesday's Township Committee meeting is approved.

The projects are contained in a $716,413 capital improvements ordinance that includes approval for a $680,877 bond to finance the systems. 

"This bond ordinance is not for routine capital expenditures, but rather material capital purchases needed to ensure public safety, that cannot be funded as part of our annual capital plan,” Mayor Frank DelCore said.

Both the 9-1-1 systems and the municipal complex phone system have outlived their anticipated lifespans—the phone system is more than 20 years old and can't be expanded further.

"We can all appreciate technology has changed quite a bit," Mayor DelCore said. 

The new 9-1-1 system is expected to cost $50,000, while the phone system will total about $225,000. The township chose KML Technologies to upgrade the 9-1-1 system through a state contract, but a vendor for the phone system has not been sleected yet. 

The biggest part of the project will be upgrading police and emergency communications, expected to require $441,713 through a state contract with Motorola.

The upgrade will convert the police radio signals to narrow band signals, a move required by the FCC. The deadline for upgrading was Jan. 1, 2013,  but the township received a one-year waiver to get the work done.

The new police system will move to Somerset County’s 700 mhz Public Safety Radio System, which will provide interconnectivity between all area emergency responders, including local firefighters and rescue volunteers, as well as county communications and police. 

”The importance of providing effective and reliable communication systems for the public safety of our township cannot be over emphasized,” Chief of Police Paul Kaminsky said.

"The upgrade for the Police Radio System was a high priority for the Capital Planning Committee, but fell outside the scope of routine capital expenditures,” Committeernan Greg Burchette, liaison to Capital Planning Commitee, said.