| Posted: Sat Apr 18th, 2009 04:48 am |
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1st Post |
BEENAROUND
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Im sorry but I have absolutely got to where I hate the word SPLOST. I see where they "pitched it" the other night. It looks like they are going to try to make us think it will be for public safety. What do you want to bet there will be other little filler projects thrown in? $28.8 million for a new electronics communication system and a NEW Emergency Operations Center? You will not find another person that supports our public safety more than I do. I truly respect these boys and girls that protect us and want the best of equipment they can have, but I do have issues with this SPLOST and some of these items on their wish list.
$28.8 million for a new electronic communication system.
1) I know it has been mandated by the federal government that the older systems need to be upgraded and that it is mandatory to give up the lower Frequency, but is this the best price we can get for our dollar?
2)How much will it cost to maintain the system once it is in?
3)Will taxes need to be increased to cover the cost of maintainace?
4)Will the county employees need to be furloughed and more police officer positions froze to allow the system to be kept up?
5)Who will the IT person work for?
6)How much will his salary be?, since it cannot be paid by the SPLOST.
7) Will you need to hire more than one IT person to man the system? Since problems could happen anytime day or night.
8) Has the county already started cutting the number of towers required for the system and that were originally planned in the design?
9) I have heard that the number was down to seven from the original nine the engineers called for, Does the county know more about the design than the engineer designing the system? By cutting towers out would that not decrease the coverage for the officers and other public safety personnel?
10) Like most electronics these days with new tech. coming each day, How long after this $28.8 million dollar system is put in place will it be outdated?
11) How will the money to pay for the updates on the system be aquired?
12) With the issue being mandated by the federal government are there not any federal grants to help aquire the system? Or is it just easier to keep the SPLOST going?
A new Emergency Operations Center?
1) Where is the old one?
2) Why put the new one in an area that our EMA director refuses to keep his current equipment now? Vandalizism?
3) Is there not an location that the county already owns that can be used?
4) Does EMA already a large office area at the law enforcement building? Would it not be cheaper to remodel that location?
5) Does the jail not have a back up location for the 911 designed to be an emergency operations location when needed? How many Emergency Operations Centers do we need?
6)What will the purpose of this center be when we are not having an emergency?
7) Will this center have offices?
8) Who all will be assigned to work in this building? More than two people?
9) Where will the funds used for the maintainance and utilities come from? Money saved by furloughing and freezing positions?
10) Will this be another building that the county builds with SPLOST funds that will sit there empty because the county cant afford to open? Like the detention facility being built on Blacks Bluff Rd?
11) Who exactly decided we needed this facility?
12) Will this be the building where bad weather, pandemic flu, and dams are monitored from?
I truly care for our boys and girls serving in public safety, but it looks like this SPLOST wish list is starting out with big ticket items. What is going to happen when they start adding in the other little filler items? Am I the only person who has become tired of the SPLOST? With economy in the crapper, and people needing every penny the have , can we not have a break ? At least for a little while. I just dont think that now is the time for more taxes, and I dont want to hear "well its just a continuation of the last one, you want notice". Trust me everytime I buy something in Rome and I am handed my reciept and see the tax I paid , I always think of that .01 extra I pay. They act like it is free money and its not, its our money. Dont give the crap that people from out of town are helping with this when thet buy in Rome and Floyd county. If they would open their eyes they would see that there is not a whole lot of folks buying in Rome right now. Look how many stores have closed down in our community. If they were doing well they would still be open. Companies would be laying off employees. In true Floyd County Government it has come time to ask its citizens to vote in more taxation on themselves. Give us a break
Last edited on Sat Apr 18th, 2009 04:50 am by BEENAROUND
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| Posted: Sat Apr 18th, 2009 12:54 pm |
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2nd Post |
averagejoe
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Here is my view on it right now. If the new radio equipment is the only thing on the SPLOST list I will vote for it. If they include anything else I will vote against it. This is an important enough item to be put on a list by itself.
I will go ahead and say that my view is subject to change as I learn more information but for right now that is how I feel.
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| Posted: Sat Apr 18th, 2009 01:17 pm |
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3rd Post |
RNpara
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averagejoe wrote: Here is my view on it right now. If the new radio equipment is the only thing on the SPLOST list I will vote for it. If they include anything else I will vote against it. This is an important enough item to be put on a list by itself.
I will go ahead and say that my view is subject to change as I learn more information but for right now that is how I feel.
i agree totally, i remember a few years ago when they bought a new CAD system and it was a bundle of money, not sure if they ever got it up and running correctly. I know with EMS it was a big waste of money. I would love to see our public safety members get the equipment they need but is there not things that the officers and firemen need in everyday operations that would be more important. Do the firemen have enough working radios to go around yet. I will have to see more info as well before i vote.
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| Posted: Sat Apr 18th, 2009 04:04 pm |
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4th Post |
ronron
Banned
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BEENAROUND wrote: Im sorry but I have absolutely got to where I hate the word SPLOST. I see where they "pitched it" the other night. It looks like they are going to try to make us think it will be for public safety. What do you want to bet there will be other little filler projects thrown in? $28.8 million for a new electronics communication system and a NEW Emergency Operations Center? You will not find another person that supports our public safety more than I do. I truly respect these boys and girls that protect us and want the best of equipment they can have, but I do have issues with this SPLOST and some of these items on their wish list.
$28.8 million for a new electronic communication system.
1) I know it has been mandated by the federal government that the older systems need to be upgraded and that it is mandatory to give up the lower Frequency, but is this the best price we can get for our dollar? I would be willing to bet they haven't shopped around,just hope it's not the Acme company that Wile E. Coyote uses
2)How much will it cost to maintain the system once it is in? Who cares the radios are all shiny
3)Will taxes need to be increased to cover the cost of maintainace? No Poe and Bennett will take a reduction in pay to cover it.
4)Will the county employees need to be furloughed and more police officer positions froze to allow the system to be kept up?
No they will get rid of the assistant managers
5)Who will the IT person work for?
6)How much will his salary be?, since it cannot be paid by the SPLOST
Since the system is so important he/she should make at least a hundred thousand a year.
7) Will you need to hire more than one IT person to man the system? Since problems could happen anytime day or night.
8) Has the county already started cutting the number of towers required for the system and that were originally planned in the design?
I also bet with the towers required will not be enough, look at how many cell phone towers there are in floyd county and they are still dropped calls.
9) I have heard that the number was down to seven from the original nine the engineers called for, Does the county know more about the design than the engineer designing the system? Sure they do By cutting towers out would that not decrease the coverage for the officers and other public safety personnel?
10) Like most electronics these days with new tech. coming each day, How long after this $28.8 million dollar system is put in place will it be outdated?
Electronics, I remember not long ago everytime a lightning storm came through, I would here someone come on the scanner and tell 911 to shut down the computers because of the lightning. ( no wonder they don't want me listening to them on the scanner) this 800 mhz trunking system will be computer controlled, will they shut it down when they hear a rumble in the sky.
11) How will the money to pay for the updates on the system be aquired?
And these updates will have to happen after they find out they were sold the cheap system, in the fine print will be if you want bells and whistles it will cost more.
12) With the issue being mandated by the federal government are there not any federal grants to help aquire the system? Or is it just easier to keep the SPLOST going?
A new Emergency Operations Center?
1) Where is the old one?
2) Why put the new one in an area that our EMA director refuses to keep his current equipment now? Vandalizism?
3) Is there not an location that the county already owns that can be used?
4) Does EMA already a large office area at the law enforcement building? Would it not be cheaper to remodel that location?
5) Does the jail not have a back up location for the 911 designed to be an emergency operations location when needed? How many Emergency Operations Centers do we need?
6)What will the purpose of this center be when we are not having an emergency?
7) Will this center have offices?
8) Who all will be assigned to work in this building? More than two people?
9) Where will the funds used for the maintainance and utilities come from? Money saved by furloughing and freezing positions?
10) Will this be another building that the county builds with SPLOST funds that will sit there empty because the county cant afford to open? Like the detention facility being built on Blacks Bluff Rd?
11) Who exactly decided we needed this facility?
12) Will this be the building where bad weather, pandemic flu, and dams are monitored from?
I truly care for our boys and girls serving in public safety, but it looks like this SPLOST wish list is starting out with big ticket items. What is going to happen when they start adding in the other little filler items? Am I the only person who has become tired of the SPLOST? With economy in the crapper, and people needing every penny the have , can we not have a break ? At least for a little while. I just dont think that now is the time for more taxes, and I dont want to hear "well its just a continuation of the last one, you want notice". Trust me everytime I buy something in Rome and I am handed my reciept and see the tax I paid , I always think of that .01 extra I pay. They act like it is free money and its not, its our money. Dont give the crap that people from out of town are helping with this when thet buy in Rome and Floyd county. If they would open their eyes they would see that there is not a whole lot of folks buying in Rome right now. Look how many stores have closed down in our community. If they were doing well they would still be open. Companies would be laying off employees. In true Floyd County Government it has come time to ask its citizens to vote in more taxation on themselves. Give us a break
Last edited on Sat Apr 18th, 2009 04:48 pm by ronron
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| Posted: Sat Apr 18th, 2009 04:15 pm |
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5th Post |
coppa
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BEENAROUND wrote: Im sorry but I have absolutely got to where I hate the word SPLOST. I see where they "pitched it" the other night. It looks like they are going to try to make <snip, snip> . Give us a break
What is your answer to this issue? In fact why don't you put together a solution that you can submit to Public Safety that will resolve the needs of Public Safety without having a SPLOST.
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| Posted: Sat Apr 18th, 2009 05:10 pm |
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6th Post |
toosavoter
Guest
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BA-
Maybe you should request that the county conduct a $2 million study to look into these questions. How many people do you think they will need to check out all of them?
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| Posted: Sat Apr 18th, 2009 07:05 pm |
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7th Post |
Spice
Super Moderator
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I think all of us want the most bang for our buck. I also think this would be an excellant time for all those citizens who are concerned to ask these questions at the next meeting and demand (we pay their salery's so we can demand) reasonable answers .
____________________
“War does not determine who is right - only who is left” Bertrand Russell
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| Posted: Sat Apr 18th, 2009 07:24 pm |
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8th Post |
BEENAROUND
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With the SPLOST committee, projects are thrown in like bits of meat to the lions. These people want the SPLOST to pass to one to get the projects they want in on it and two to justify what they have done. The SPLOST should used to update our infrastruture. Roads, bridges(NOT footbridges), water service, not to built to see Aunt Mary's Flower garden. It should not be used to build someone a new office building that would not be used. There are other offices that could be used instead of building a new one. How would the East 12th area be centrally located for all emergencies? Will it be like the detention facility that they are building by the prison, that after it is completed it will not open because of the lack of funds? Exactly who will be working out of this Emergency Command Center? How many people are currently doing this job? Will the new building create more jobs? How can the county hire more folks if they are already cutting jobs back? Doesnt the EMA already or didnt they have a large office in the law enforcement building to use for the same thing?
As far as the communication system, After spending $28.8 million how long will it be before it is outdated and parts cant be bought to replace broken parts. Im sure the county will spend a crap load of money on a study for it. Engineers will have to determine where the towers need to be. Land will need to be purchased or leased to place these towers on. Maintainance of the towers and land they are on will need to be added to the counties budget, because the SPLOST wont pay for it. I want the best for our local law enforcement, fire fighters, EMS and any other public safety. I also want them to have something that will work, and work long after it is purchased. I think it should be something that is not rushed and just thrown on the SPLOST. Ill bet the only reason it is being thrown on the SPLOST is the hope that everybody that does care our public safety is thinking that this is the only way they will get it.This is why they can slip in the other pet projects. Cant have the big one with out the little ones. I want to know exactly why the communication center and the command center have to be aquired right now. I would want to know is this the best system for the money , and will continue to be. I want to know for $28,800,000.00 Dollars that this system comes with some type of warranty(more than one year). With the economy in the toilet I think spending needs to be kept to what needs to purchased, when it needs to be purchased. There are a lot of things I want in this life, I get the things I want when I can afford them. I dont want more taxs, and a SPLOST is just that an increase in our taxes. I dont care if people say it is a fair tax, thats bull crap. People are not burning up the roads to come to Rome and buy things. If they were all the stores in Rome would not have closed that have. I think these items can wait or atleast researched and shopped for the best deal. Main thing is to keep county management out of it. Look where they have gotten us so far. Buildings that are empty, going to stay empty, or just losing money.Sorry to go on a tangent but I would still have more questions on just these two subjects,plus anything else we know they are going to throw in and try to hide behind the preface of the Public Safety SPLOST.Last edited on Sat Apr 18th, 2009 07:26 pm by BEENAROUND
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| Posted: Sat Apr 18th, 2009 08:12 pm |
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9th Post |
Spice
Super Moderator
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Ben, go right ahead and Rant. Your post are very informative.
____________________
“War does not determine who is right - only who is left” Bertrand Russell
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| Posted: Sat Apr 18th, 2009 08:26 pm |
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10th Post |
toosavoter
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A few folks ranting on a forum will accomplish nothing. A few hundred folks showing up at the next commission meeting and demanding answers will send a much more powerful message.
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| Posted: Sat Apr 18th, 2009 10:13 pm |
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11th Post |
BEENAROUND
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People need to show up. I have every intention of voicing my opinion. $28,800,000.00 is a lot of money to be asking for right now with the economy the way it is. I dont see that $28,000,000.00 helping stimulate our local economy any. How many local companies will benefit from the construction of the communication system or the Emergency Command Center. We know outside companies will be responsible for the construction and that money will leave our community. My concern would still be the cost of maintaining the system. Being computer based an IT person will need to be hired. I know when I served on the grand jury we toured different facilities and I know I was told and shown the Emergency Center that was at the jail that could be used and 911 can operate from it and at the law enforcement center on the first floor there was a large office area that was originally designed for the exact purpose of being an EMA center when Hugh was over it. I think it is being used for training. Why could it not be used for the purpose for which it was originally designed.
It seems to be like buying a new lawnmower everytime you cut the grass, when all you need to do is just buy more gas to use the one you have.
I guess it is just easier to keep taxing the people of Floyd County. I mean we are paying what, $40,000.00 a piece for 10 0r 12 parking places at the old court house. Hell Its just money, everybody has got plenty.
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| Posted: Sat Apr 18th, 2009 11:39 pm |
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12th Post |
Spice
Super Moderator
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toosavoter wrote: A few folks ranting on a forum will accomplish nothing. A few hundred folks showing up at the next commission meeting and demanding answers will send a much more powerful message.
I agree that people showing up will make more of a statement at a commission meeting but ranting on the forum sometimes helps to inform some who would otherwise be uninformed.
____________________
“War does not determine who is right - only who is left” Bertrand Russell
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| Posted: Sun Apr 19th, 2009 01:01 am |
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13th Post |
TheNaturalist
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coppa wrote: BEENAROUND wrote: Im sorry but I have absolutely got to where I hate the word SPLOST. I see where they "pitched it" the other night. It looks like they are going to try to make <snip, snip> . Give us a break
What is your answer to this issue? In fact why don't you put together a solution that you can submit to Public Safety that will resolve the needs of Public Safety without having a SPLOST.
My solution: budget more wisely. How did my mom who is on a fixed income buy a new car? She saved for it.
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| Posted: Sun Apr 19th, 2009 03:00 am |
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14th Post |
toosavoter
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Spice wrote: toosavoter wrote: A few folks ranting on a forum will accomplish nothing. A few hundred folks showing up at the next commission meeting and demanding answers will send a much more powerful message.
I agree that people showing up will make more of a statement at a commission meeting but ranting on the forum sometimes helps to inform some who would otherwise be uninformed.
Agreed. Spreading information, forming an opinion, and taking action are the steps toward changing policy. Without the last step, you are just ranting and raving. Taking action can involve many paths: voting, speaking up at public meetings, organizing opposition protests, serving on public committees, running for elected office, just to name a few.
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| Posted: Sun Apr 19th, 2009 03:53 am |
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15th Post |
BEENAROUND
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TheNaturalist thank you so much for seeing it the way I do. If the county would save money instead of spending it on things that are not really needed, then it wouldnt be a problem.
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