ITEM TITLE:
#26-53 - Amending the 2026 City Budget by Accepting a Federal Bureau of Justice Byrne Discretionary Community Project Grant for the Emergency Services Infrastructure Replacement Project in the Amount of $5,500,000
SUBMITTED BY: Jordan Nelson, Finance Director
FISCAL NOTES:
Expenditure Required: $5,500,000
Unencumbered Balance: $5,500,000
Funding Source: DOJ BJA Grant Proceeds
RECOMMENDATION:
Approve
SUMMARY STATEMENT:
This grant is the direct result of Congressionally Directed Spending (CDS) from Senator Murkowski’s office per the City of Valdez 2025 request.
The existing City of Valdez public safety radio system does not provide full coverage of the 272 square mile service area of the community.
This project proposes to improve the Valdez Public Safety Radio System by constructing repeater station/microwave towers with accompanying communications equipment shelters at three critical locations.
• Location 1 will be a tower located at Valdez Fire Station #1 in the core downtown area.
• Location 2 will be a tower at Salmonberry Ski Hill located at mile 5.5 on the Richardson Highway.
• Location 3 will replace any necessary obsolete infrastructure located on the Valdez Container Terminal and the Grain Silos.
The grant amount does not cover the complete cost of the project, and City funds have been, and will be, used to contribute towards a completed system.
The work at Station 1 is under construction with the tower and com hut installation completed this fall. The project will continue over the winter and into next year with equipment purchases and construction and installation at the other locations.