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HomeMy WebLinkAboutJanuary 19 Minutes Town of Los Altos Hills EMERGENCY COMMUNICATIONS COMMITTEE January 19, 2010 @ 7:00 PM, Council Chambers Roll call: Member Call Sign Attended Absent Jim Abraham W6EB P Dru Anderson KG6LAD P Bob Anderson KC6ZWG P Ray Egan W6FQY P Charlie Ellinger KI6JPM E Rick Ellinger KJ6NU E Andy Fawcett KI6MAF E David Gilmour WQ1K E Bob Hall KF6DHX P Edwin R Jones, EC, Chair W7WPO P Andrew Kirk WB6CLS P Duncan MacMillan KI6VMY P Lynn McLeod KG6YIT E Scott Overstreet N6NXI P David Pratt K6LWT E Bob Rowe AF6LD P Miles Seiver, Secretary KI6LDU P Terry Smith K7YNO E "Smitty" Smithwick W6CS E Maynard Stevenson W7MVT P Jerry Tomanek AF6HY E Gary Waldeck K6AIR P Al Whaley KV6U P Sam Wood K6MSR P Other Hams present Council Liaison Rich Larsen KI6VMW P Chairman Ed Jones called the meeting to order at 7:00 pm. Bob Anderson moved to approve the minutes of the December ECC meeting, Bob Rowe seconded, and the motion passed. Al Whaley reported that there is a new county bulletin board for packet radio communication. The Los Altos Hills packet system in the Heritage House was temporarily down but put back in service the week of January 25. Chairman Ed Jones described the county drill scheduled for 1/23/10 from 2pm to 4pm. It focused on packet radio communication. The scenario was storm- related. The full drill plan (created by Al Whaley) is available at www.scc- ares-races.org Chairman Ed Jones described a major CERT drill being planned for May. The Town has requested for the ECC to provide communications. Chairman Jones would prefer that the ECC test its communication system before the drill. The Committee noted 9am on 2/20/10 as a good time and date for this practice test. Chairman Jones, Al Whaley, and Gary Waldeck formed a subcommittee which will plan for the drill. Councilperson Rich Larsen reported that the application from Verizon for antenna space on the Heritage House “tree” has been approved. Rich also reported that he completed advanced ICS training in St. Luis Obispo and is now qualified a emergency manager along with Councilperson Jean Mordo and Dru Anderson. Dru Anderson requested that Councilperson Larsen look into the lack of light in front of the Heritage House. Councilperson Larsen agreed to refer the matter to Steve Garcia. Andy Fawcett reported that he would be unable to continue his responsibility as LAH net control once a month. Bob Rowe suggested that the ECC simply assign net control responsibility to each member in the order as listed on the committee roster. Dru Anderson requested a new set of LAH EOC and ECC badges. Scott Overstreet suggested that the committee postpone discussion of the 146.745 MHz repeater until the next regular ECC meeting. Discussion continued. Scott reported that he is the president of the LAHEG (Los Altos Hills Emergency Group) which holds the FCC vanity call sign W6LAH. Scott disputed claims to the contrary made in an email sent to the ECC from Al Whaley. Gary Waldeck suggested that the committee needs a better understanding of how exactly it can best serve the Town. Jim Abraham responded he had not yet received a response to a registered letter he mailed on December 29 to Rich Larsen, Edwin Jones, Al Whaley, and Carl Cahil regarding the very matter. He also noted that an FCC ruling on the W6LAH licensing situation is expected in February 2010. Scott Overstreet stated that a town cannot posses an amateur radio license nor use amateur radio frequencies for official town business. Al Whaley responded that the FCC allows employees to use amateur frequencies during an emergency. He added that members of the ECC are not employees of the town and are thus not bound by this restriction. In response to a question from Rich Larsen regarding the LAHEG, Jim Abraham described that the group is an amateur radio club (separate from the Town and the ECC) which holds the club license W6LAH and the local repeater coordination for 146.745 MHz. Dru Anderson said that an ideal situation would be for each ECC member to have the ability and knowledge to alone run emergency communications for the Town. Rich Larsen suggested that the LAHEG enter into a memorandum of understanding with the Town of Los Altos Hills (SPECS and other emergency groups have similar arrangements between user groups and repeater associations). Al Whaley felt that the ECC needed a better understanding of the history of the relationship between ECC and LAHEG. Jim Abraham noted that some past ECC motions regarding the repeater were not properly agendized or noticed. He also felt it would be best to wait for a response from the FCC before continuing discussion on the matter. Duncan MacMillan asked for information on which specific documents were sent to the FCC. Jim Abraham declined to state. Scott noted that while some reports state that Jim Abraham turned off the repeater for two weeks, the length of time was actually one day and five hours. Bob Anderson motioned that the committee postpone further discussion on the repeater until a future meeting when the topic is properly agendized. Gary Waldeck seconded, and the motion passed. At 8:47 pm Bob Anderson moved to adjourn the meeting, Gary Waldeck seconded, and the motion passed. Respectfully submitted, Miles Seiver LAHECC Secretary