COUNTY OF SAN MATEO

Inter-Departmental Correspondence

Department of Public Works

 

DATE:

June 2, 2006

BOARD MEETING DATE:

June 20, 2006

SPECIAL NOTICE/HEARING:

None

VOTE REQUIRED:

Majority

 

TO:

Honorable Board of Supervisors

FROM:

Neil R. Cullen, Director of Public Works

SUBJECT:

Resolution Approving the List of Facilities to be Connected to a Fiber Network to be Constructed by the Cable Television Provider Serving Portions of San Mateo County, and Authorizing the Director of Public Works to Notify the Cable Television Provider of said Facilities

 

Recommendation

Adopt a resolution:

 

1)

approving the list of facilities/campuses to be connected to the fiber network(INET) as provided by the agreement previously executed by Comcast of California, IX, Inc., Comcast of California/Colorado/Florida/Oregon, Inc., Comcast of California/Illinois, LP and Comcast of California/Colorado/Washington, LP (collectively “Comcast”) and the County; and

 

2)

authorizing the Director of Public Works to notify Comcast of said list of facilities.

 

Vision Alignment

Commitment: Responsive, effective and collaborative government.

Goal 20: Government decisions are based on careful consideration of future impact, rather than temporary relief or immediate gain.

 

We believe your Board approving this list of facilities/campuses to be connected to the INET will facilitate the County being linked to other agencies within the Comcast service area for the purpose of transmitting and receiving video, voice or data.

 

Background

 

Previous Board Action

Adopted Resolution No. 067916 on April 4, 2006, which, in addition to other provisions:

 

1)

authorized the President of the Board to execute a side letter and a 15-year, non-exclusive Cable System Franchise Agreement (collectively the Agreement) with Comcast which included the provision for financing and constructing a fiber network (INET) to specific County facilities/campuses, to be determined by the County within 90 days of the execution of the Agreement; and

 

2)

directed the Director of Public Works to:

 
 

a)

work with the County Manager and the Director of the Information Services Department (ISD) to develop a priority list of County facilities that could be connected to the INET in accordance with the Agreement; and

 
 

b)

report back to your Board within 90 days of execution of the Agreement with said recommended priority list.

 

History

 

The Agreement executed by the President of the Board and Comcast provides that Comcast will construct a fiber network (INET) to specific County facilities if the facilities are identified by your Board within 90 days of the execution of the Agreement. Comcast is committed to providing up to $496,195 in construction credits to finance the cost of bringing the INET to facilities identified by your Board, and $118,404 for the necessary edge and switching equipment to activate the INET connections. The Agreement also provides that if your Board does not identify facilities, the construction credits can be used to fund additional Public, Educational and Governmental (PEG) access capital costs, or for County PEG related uses.

 

The cities of Belmont, Brisbane, Foster City, Millbrae, Redwood City, San Carlos, and San Mateo have also entered into franchise agreements with Comcast that provide for the connection of their facilities to the INET.

 

ISD convened a subcommittee comprised of representatives from the Library, Public Works, the Office of Education, the Sheriff, and ISD staff that service the Medical Center, Health Services, and the Human Services Agency to discuss possible uses of an INET. Several future uses were suggested and the subcommittee concluded that it would be beneficial for the County to have its facilities connected to the INET, as it will provide a dedicated, high speed connection between the County and the other agencies that does not currently exist.

 

Discussion

 

We are recommending that the following campuses be connected to the INET:

 

County Government Center – Redwood City

Human Services Agency – Harbor Boulevard, Belmont

Tower Road Campus (Youth Services Facility)

San Mateo Medical Center/Health Services (37th and 39th Avenues in San Mateo)

Office of Education (Redwood Shores, Redwood City)

 

These sites are five or the seven sites that were provided to Comcast and used by Comcast to develop the cost of the County’s INET construction as previously discussed. Four of the original sites have been combined into two locations (Medical Center on 39th and Health Services on 37th Avenues; and 400 County Center and 555 County Center) on the recommendation of ISD, as these facilities can be further connected using County network facilities once the INET is brought to each campus. ISD is also recommending that the INET be connected to the new Youth Services Facility instead of the Elections Building at Tower Road, because the Youth Services Facility has been constructed with connectivity to the other Tower Road Facilities.

 

The INET “hub” for the County is proposed to be located at the County Government Center with the other sites being satellites (Exhibit A). The County Office of Education (COE) was included in the County list of sites since service to schools throughout the entire County are provided from the COE. ISD also believes that it can connect the coastside schools and other coastside governmental facilities that are not on the INET, via a microwave link through the County “hub.”

 

A resolution has been approved as to form by County Counsel.

 

Fiscal Impact

The recommended facilities/campuses were previously provided to Comcast for estimating purposes. Therefore, Comcast, irregardless of the final cost of constructing the INET, is obligated to bring INET service to the facilities/campuses even if the construction exceeds the amount of construction credits ($496,195) provided for in the Agreement.

 

There is no impact to the General Fund at this time.

 

Comcast is also obligated to provide funding in the amount of $118, 404 for edge and switching equipment to activate the INET connections. ISD will be recommending specific equipment in a separate staff report, and their recommendation will be based on the proposed uses of the INET by County Departments. The impact to the General Fund will depend on the Department using the INET and the uses proposed for the INET.