State-of-the-art technology could make the township more efficient, and provide for civil defense, officials say.
Independence Township Department of Public Works went before the Township Board Oct. 2, requesting consideration of the $580,000 broadband wireless project.
The cost would be split between the general fund, $14,492; library, $5,196; fire, $16,308; and water/sewer fund balances, not to exceed $544,004.
The wireless system would be completely controlled, owned and operated by the DPW. The department would no longer ‘be at the mercy? on an internet company to fix their system when it goes down, said Linda Richardson, director of DPW.
‘There have been times when we have been down for a week, no e-mails, no link to the town hall. It’s very hard to function,? Richardson said.
The board voted 6-1 to wait for more information from the water department as to why the DPW needs its own, as opposed to a shared, system.
‘This is a significant expenditure of money. I would like to make sure that we are comfortable that we want our own system and that two years from now there isn’t going to be some other commercial system that we could purchase and when you compare the two, that we wouldn’t be better off just waiting, but I am leaning towards that we do need our own system, at least for the water system,? said Trustee Dan Kelly.
Clerk Shelagh VanderVeen said she voted not to postpone a decision because they already had all information they needed.
‘We had all the talent (DPW, Azure Wireless, Tech Resources) there, all the information was in front of us,? said Vanderveen. ‘All this information is given to us the Friday before the meeting. We have an opportunity to review it, we have an opportunity to sit down and talk with Linda, or talk to Russ if we have any questions.?
VanderVeen said she sees the importance of DPW having its own system regardless of the price, because it would improve security.
‘All it would take would be someone to reach our water system and wreck havoc on our community,? she said.
‘You always want to get a good product and be fiscally prudent, but there are some things you can’t risk. I don’t think you can jeopardize (homeland security).?
The wireless system will also work with water-and-sewer department’s main control system, Supervisory Control And Data Acquisition. SCADA was designed by Russ Williams, DPW controls system specialist. SCADA monitors all 40 township water and sewer sites. It monitors water pressures, water tower levels, pumps, and alarm systems.
‘Now when they (DPW workers) get an alarm, they can listen to what’s going on, on their phone, but to do anything about it, they have to come in here (to the DPW),? said Richardson. ‘With this wireless, they would be able to hook right in and they could change pumps or do whatever they needed to do (from a computer) without leaving their home.?
Richardson said workers often get calls late at night and have to drive to the DPW to clear a false alarm. This could be done from home as well. Richardson also hopes to get all trucks a laptop.
‘My goal is for the DPW to get into the 21st century, get away from doing everything with paper,? she said. ‘We spend too much time with duplication of work.?
Richardson said a person will call and talk to one lady about a problem, fill out a work form and send a truck over. A little later, that same person’s husband calls, talks to a different lady, and now two work orders and two workers have been sent out for the same thing.
‘We’re wasting a lot of man hours with the paper system,? said Richardson.
The wireless system would also connect to town hall, senior center, Independence Township Library, and fire stations.