☒ Consent Agenda ☐Quasi-Judicial Public Hearing
☐ Regular Business 3:00 pm
☐ Public Hearing Agreement
DEPARTMENT: Administration
SUBMITTED BY: Sylvia Altman
PRESENTED BY: Mandy Hines
TITLE & DESCRIPTION:
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Grant Agreement 26-04-07/Florida Department of Management Services - Rural County Grant Program
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REQUESTED MOTION:
Motion to authorize the Chairman of the Board of County Commissioners to execute the grant agreement as presented.
SUMMARY:
This is a state-funded grant agreement between the Florida Department of Management Services and DeSoto County for $266,043.35 to fund a Call Handling System refresh of the county's Motorola VESTA 911 system. The agreement runs from April 17, 2026, through April 16, 2028, and is funded through the Emergency Communications Trust Fund on a cost-reimbursement basis. DeSoto County will use the funds supplemented by $74,401.90 in county carry-forward funds to procure updated hardware, software, subscriptions, and installation services through vendor AK Associates. The county must submit quarterly status reports throughout the grant term
BACKGROUND:
DeSoto County's 911 Call Handling System, a Motorola VESTA system installed in August 2021, is approaching the end of its recommended five-year hardware lifecycle and is in need of a scheduled refresh. Aging servers, networking equipment, and associated components become increasingly susceptible to failure over time, posing a direct risk to the county's ability to handle emergency calls reliably and without interruption. A hardware refresh is necessary to maintain cybersecurity compliance, ensure continued vendor support, and meet End-of-Life requirements as the existing equipment ages out of manufacturer coverage. As a rural county with limited financial resources, DeSoto County is requesting $266,043.35 through the Florida Emergency Communications Board's Rural County Grant Program to cover the majority of the project costs, with the county contributing $74,401.90 from reserves towards the total.
FUNDS:
Total Cost: $340,445.25
Amount Covered by Grant: $266,043.35
Amount Covered by E911 Reserves: $74,401.90
Explanation: Grant with Match