Sussex council votes to purchase new command center

Sussex County Councilman Sam Wilson, R-Georgetown, changed his mind and joined with fellow council members voting to replace the county's 15-year-old mobile command unit. At the Aug. 2 meeting, council voted 4-0 to purchase the $1.6 million unit.

Council President Mike Vincent, R-Seaford, recused himself because he is affiliated with a company involved with the project.

Even so, Wilson repeated what he said the previous week when a vote on the measure was tabled. "I don't see a lot of use. You are spending my tax dollars – I hope it's well worth it," he said to Joe Thomas, the county's director of emergency operations.

"Is it justified?" he asked Thomas, who responded with one word: "Yes."

Thomas said the current command center has limitations with outdated technology. He said the unit is used 30 to 35 times per year at special events– such as Return Day, the Apple-Scrapple Festival and Punkin Chunkin – and major sporting events. In addition, the unit is a backup to the county's 911 dispatch center and is available to respond to weather-related incidents and other emergencies to help coordinate transportation, police, fire and emergency management communications.

He said during the serious flooding in Seaford in 2006 the unit was stationed at Seaford's city hall and was used to help coordinate search and rescue missions as well as re-establish communication and support services.

He said more than half of the cost will be reimbursed through federal grants with the county covering $685,000 of the cost. He said the vehicle would be available for use in about a year.

When asked by Wilson, Thomas said the current command center has about 20,000 miles on it, but he said it's not the mileage but the age of the vehicle that is a factor. Thomas told council there is a market for used command center vehicles, so it would be possible to recoup additional funds.

"We hope we never have to use this vehicle, but having it is called preparation and being responsible," said Councilman Rob Arlett, R-Frankford.

The county used a cooperative purchase agreement utilized by the state of Delaware Government Support Services Office through the Houston-Galveston Area Council of Governments, which awarded the contract to Frontline Communications in Clearwater, Fla.

County Finance Director Gina Jennings said the money for the unit is included in the county's fiscal year 2017 budget.

"Can we proceed with zero issues?" asked Councilman Rob Arlett, R-Frankford.

"Yes," answered Jennings.

Arlett was referring to an email received by council from a company that submitted a bid for the mobile command unit that was rejected. Ruth Phillips, sales coordinator for LDV Inc. in Burlington, Wisc., said her company presented a bid of less than $1.1 million. "Apparently the bid results never went to council," she said, claiming the county circumvented the competitive bid process.

Jennings said the procedure used to award the bid followed state law. "The process we used was a competitive process through a cooperative agreement acceptable through state code," she said. "Looking at LDV's email, they are under the impression we are selecting Frontline as a sole source, which is not the case."

Jennings said the Houston-Galveston Area Council of Governments is a cooperative purchasing agreement used by the state of Delaware, which is also available to other governments such as Sussex County. "We use the state of Delaware's contracts on many occasions," she said.

Similar agreements are used by fire departments to purchase equipment.