Dispatch center – The new dispatch service start date has been postponed. Administrative assistant Dan Stevens said the “go live” date has been pushed back because training equipment is not in place. Stevens said the plan was to begin in mid-November.
“We’re not anticipated to be up and operational,” he told the commissioners. “The technical committee has pushed it back to mid-January with concerns for the holidays.”
In addition to the training equipment, officials said recent weather has canceled scheduled modifications to two towers.
“The first week of training was pushed back. We want a fully functioning system versus a partial one,”
Hamilton County Emergency Management Director Mike Snowden said, adding there was no contractual issue to push back the date. “If we’re pushed back three to four weeks we’re into the Christmas season.”
The new dispatch system will replace the current two systems that are used in the county.
“We’d much rather wait and get it right,” Stevens said. “The other systems are still operational.”
First responders’ computers – Snowden requested and received money from the radio project contingency fund to purchase 40 laptop computers. The computers will be used at fire and police stations to allow radios to be programmed. He said the alternative was to have first responders drive to the county office to have them done. The cost for the computers is $26,520.
Judicial Center expansion – Commissioner Mark Heirbrandt recommended the county should hire a construction management firm as plans progress on the building’s addition.
“It’d be good to have them on as soon as possible,” he said.
One benefit of an early decision is having the firm working together to develop the projects with the designers and commissioners.
“In the pas we’ve always had a construction management guide us,” Dillinger said.
Request for quotes will go out this month and as a result of the holidays, the commissioners plan on targeting their January meeting to select a firm.
Training center – The project originally had a $13 million price range but officials said by only building a shooting range or evasion driving course the cost would decrease to $3-$4 million
“We all conquer it is a good project on this level,” Commissioner Christine Altman said.
The commissioners plan to hold a meeting with city and municipal leaders, fire and police chiefs and the Hamilton County Council the week of Nov. 17 to discuss the plan further.
“We can all sit at a table and see if we can get it settled,” Altman said.
Ind. 37 upgrades – The commissioners are meeting with business owners along Ind. 37 at 7 p.m. Nov. 17 at the 4-H Fairgrounds in Noblesville and 6 p.m. Nov. 18 at the Delaware Township Building. “The meetings are an effort to reach out to the business community and let them know what is going on,” Altman said. “We want to get their input. We’d rather know their concerns now.”
Floodplains ordinance – FEMA has instructed all communities to update their floodplain ordinances. At the county level, the last ordinance was passed in 1988.
“The reasons to do this now are because of the tremendous amount of loss of life and property from hurricanes and flooding,” said Chuck Kiphart of the plan commission.
Kiphart said the major change comes with certifications and dealing with when people receive a variance. The new ordinance is a boiler plate from FEMA that communities can adapt with their own rules.
Tower and fiber access – Noblesville-based Ori.Net is proposing a contract with the county for access to the tower at 18102 Cumberland Rd., Noblesville. As part of the agreement, Ori.Net would provide services to the county in lieu of payment. Since the tower is part of the Hamilton County Jail and Corrections grounds, commissioners expressed concern with security. A decision on the contract was tabled.
