State parcels out homeland security funds to counties

Jace Radke

Tuesday, May 25, 2004 | 10:58 a.m.

The Nevada Homeland Security Commission beat a Friday deadline to allocate about $26.5 million in federal funds, as the commission's outgoing chairman again denied allegations that he used his position to help a communications company in its bid for a government contract.

Jerry Bussell, who officially resigns as chairman of the commission and Gov. Kenny Guinn's Homeland Security adviser on Friday, congratulated the commission on the job it has done dividing up the funds and in approving a statewide communications plan as Monday's commission meeting closed.

He also told the commissioners that while there was talk of bringing a plan to fund a statewide communications system before them for discussion, there was never a contract with any vendor to provide such a system.

"There is no $86 million communications contract," Bussell said. "There is no communication contract in any amount before this commission. There is no communications contract in any amount before me, any of you, or any state, county, city or other local government agency."

Bussell said that he has never considered giving a contract to M/A-Com, a communications vendor represented by the law firm that employs Bussell's wife.

Commission Vice-Chairman Jerry Keller said that at no point in his discussions with other commissioners have specific vendors come up.

The statewide communications plan involves linking the radio systems of the state's four biggest radio users, including the Nevada Highway Patrol and Metro Police, so that first responders could easily talk to each other in the event of a terrorist attack. Metro Police Deputy Chief Dennis Cobb, who worked on the plan with the commission's communication subcommittee, said that the group plans to have some costs and figures to the commission by October.

Specified funding for the communications network will have to wait until fiscal year 2005 funds are released, but entities can use fiscal year 2004 funds to buy communication equipment that will be compatible with the system.

"I would hope that all communications equipment purchased under these dollars would be able to meet together in the future," Keller said.

At Monday's meeting the commission approved dividing federal funds between counties, tribal nations and state agencies based on population.

Clark County will receive more than $15 million in funds for training and equipment.

More than $3.5 million for radio equipment was approved for Clark County, including $1.3 million to connect the North Las Vegas Police communication system with the Southern Nevada Area Communication Council (SNACC) system. The SNACC already links the radio systems of the other major fire and police departments in Clark County.

The money will also allow Metro Police to transfer their radios from the 150 megahertz range to the 700 megahertz range. Other equipment needs that will be funded include $37,000 for a 4x4 sport utility vehicle equipped with mass fatality morgue equipment for the Clark County coroner, $566,000 for a mobile command unit and hazardous materials response vehicle for Boulder City and $136,530 to upgrade security at Metro's communication center, on Russell Road near Decatur Boulevard.

The funds will also pay for decontamination training for hospital staffs at a cost of $120,000. Numerous other pieces of equipment, training and programs for Clark County will also be funded with the $15 million.

The state Division of Emergency Management must now return the grant funding requests, along with the line-item lists of what has been approved, to the Office of Domestic Preparedness by Friday to meet a federal deadline.

George Togliatti, the director of the state's Department of Public Safety who was last week named to take over for Bussell on an interim basis as the state's homeland security administrator, said he plans to work with the commission to determine how it will function.

"There shouldn't be any speed bumps in the transition," Togliatti said of the independent homeland security office being brought under the public safety department.

Togliatti said it was too soon to say if he would remain as chair of the commission, or if the governor would select someone else.

Some commissioners suggested Monday that the homeland security office does not have enough staff to deal with its growing duties. The office only has three staff employees along with a director.