December 9^th, 2003

Meeting called to order by Terry Volk at 1:00 P.M.(CT).

State Operations Center: Wayne Baron-Homeland Security Funding Coordinator/Homeland Security Funding Status: In 2000, the Terrorist Program on the Federal Level existed, but was barely thought about. On September 11^th, 2001 this Terrorist Program became our Federal Government’s Highest Priority. This small Program was made a Cabinet Level Department and renamed Homeland Security. Planning, Training, Exercises, & Response equipment all made up Homeland Security. North Dakota has received $37 million from Homeland Security over the last two years. All these dollars have been used for planning, training, exercises & equipment. North Dakota has applied for $19,536,000 for 2004. These funds will be distributed in three segments: 1. $14,828,000 will go to Equipment, Planning, Training & Exercises. 80% of these monies($11,862,400) will go to local jurisdictions. 2. $4,400,00 will go to Deterrent Prevention. 80% of these monies($3,520,000) will go to local jurisdictions...law enforcement, communications, & intervention equipment. 3. $ 308,000 will go to Volunteer Programs. In 2003 the Homeland Security gave monies to counties to do an assessment of threat elements and this information is being used to build a Statewide Strategy . Before any 2004 Monies can be spent, we have to have this Statewide Strategy in place. This Strategy will put all our needs & goals together. The distribution of these 2004 Homeland Security Dollars will depend on information gained from this assessment. The Governor has final say on this strategy. These are 100% monies, no matching funds are needed. This Strategy must be done by December 31, 2003. From the date this Statewide Strategy is approved we have until March, 2004 to issue guidance and procedures on how to apply for monies. What you are doing in your County/City must fit into the Statewide Strategy & must be Homeland Security based. The Counties/Cities will have two years to spend this money. This Homeland Security funding will not go away, because of the Cabinet Level Department, but they may start making it a match type program. This $19,536,000 is up for scrutiny right now by New York City and other Larger Cities in the Nation who feel that a rural state like North Dakota should receive less grant funding per capita.

Wes Hendrickson-Administration Officer, State Operations Center/North Dakota Migration to Digital Radio & South Dakota Public Radio System: Members of the Mobile Communications Committee took a trip to South Dakota to review and learn about their digital radio system & implementation. The following are important things to remember when implementing a digital radio system, that were learned from this trip: 1. Allow time to integrate training/education on equipment. 2. Get a buy-in from all entities that will use this system. 3. Understand expectations from all entities. 4. Find a good way to communicate with everyone. (Meetings, Letters & etc...) In North Dakota we have established the Mobile Communications Committee. This committee was set up to complete this major project of going from analog to a digital radio system statewide. The committee is looking at a statewide communications plan that will provide a vision of where we are going. Then, develop an operations plan to implement this digital radio system. We want to stay in the VHF range. Presently building a pilot project, north of Driscoll, ND. Will use this pilot project as a blue print for the entire state. Analog -Digital Migration- You can buy radios that are both analog and digital. Our system will work with both analog & digital radios. You can get an analog radio and buy software that will change it to a digital radio...then in the future if you want to go trunking you can get other software that will change that radio to a digital trunking radio. Need for a frequency plan is important when you use digital.

Russ Timmreck-Chief, State Operations Center/State Operations Center Transition & Statewide GIS Basemap: The following are the projects that are presently being worked on at State Operations; (1)Transition of Analog to Digital radios, (2) Working on the Emergency Operations Center & State Radio Computer Systems, want the two systems to work together. (3) A Transition plan for the consolidation of State Radio & Emergency Management. (4) Mobile data computers for patrol cars. (5) The local Hospitals are talking about the possibility of using communications from State Radio. (6) The Extend America Project...identifying all towers with the state and cooping with them. (7) Leadership Development Plan, want to find people that can lead in the future. (8) Developing a Military, Federal & Local Intelligence gathering process. (9) Rollette County is requesting 911 Service from State Radio. And (10) Working to create a statewide seamless computer map. Discussed the different aspects of this Mapping Project. The GIS Sub-committee will give their input on the criteria for this bid. Then DOT will take into consideration these criteria for the writing of the RFI. Russ is asking the ND 911 Association to make a motion in support of this Statewide Mapping Project. Monies for this project will come from a Homeland Security Grant.

GIS Accuracy & Standards Forum-ND GIS Hub, ND DOT, USGS: Bob Nutsch, ND GIS Hub, (Handout) Talked about different aspects of accuracy & standards. Gave Websites where National Standards are listed. DeLane Meier %DOT, who is on the Civil GPS Committee, talked about GPS measurements and using GPS units. Talked about having a base map that is very accurate.

Meeting adjourned until tomorrow morning at 8:30 am. ********************************************************************************* December 10, 2003

Meeting called to order by Terry Volk at 8:30 A.M. (CT)

Round Table Introductions were made.

Business Meeting:

Approval of Minutes for September 30^th & October 1^st, 2003: Motion made by Ken Halvorson to approve minutes from the September 30^th & October 1^st, 2003 meeting. This motion was seconded by Tammy Lapp. All members in favor. Motion passed.

Treasurers Report: Carmen Reed reported a balance of $4,703.09 as of 12/03/03. Janelle Pepple made a motion to approve the Treasurer’s report. Ken Halvorson seconded this motion. All in favor. Motion passed. The Internal Revenue Service (IRS) confirmed our tax exempt status under section 501 (c) (3) of the code. & we are classified as a public charity under section 509 (a) (2) of the Code.

Old Business: No old business to discuss.

New Business: Committee Reports

1. Wireless Committee: FCC Wireless Meeting-Russ Lindblom: Russ Lindblom, Russ Timmreck & Doug Friez went to Washington DC, Nov 29-30, 2003, for an FCC Meeting. Talked about the E911 Law & Policy. A lot of smaller Cellular Phone Carriers are having problems with the time frame of being compliant for Phase I & II. For more information on this meeting go to the FCC’s Website.

Wireless Committee Report-Russ Lindblom: Have added the following to the Wireless Committee, Russ Timmreck, Wes Hendrickson, Lynn Arthaud, & Terry Volk. Members added to GIS Sub-Committee are Bob Nutsch, Lynn Arthaud, Carmen Reed, Wes Hendrickson & Terry Volk.

Wireless 911 Implementation-Russ Lindblom: All Cell routing sheets are now complete. 360 cell sites in the state have now been addressed. Hope to have Phase I turned up in some of the PSAPs by the end of this year. Orders for switches have been put in to the Carriers (SS7 trunking to tandems). Nextel requests to put in Phase II right away...because of the way their infrastructure is set up. Made the request for Phase I, five months ago. Asked Intrado to go back and ask to go to Phase II immediately for those Counties/Cities that are Phase II ready. This will save us money, because they will only have to go out and test the cell sites once for both Phase I & II. When testing starts the 911 Coordinators will be notified so they can be available when this testing is going on. Each Wireless Carrier has to have a test sheet filled out. Will try to fill out the information on this sheet that has already been gathered. These testers will not interfere with dispatcher duties. Once testing is done you are Phase I and/or II ready. Russ Lindblom has informed Western Wireless & Verizon that he will give them more time if needed to complete Phase I implementation. Any further information regarding Display format & Test Dates will be given to the PSAPs. If PSAP Managers are contacted directly by Intrado or Cellular Companies requesting information for the Wireless Implementation, please let Russ Lindblom know, to ensure he is aware of this request. Counties should look into sending a letter to Extend America, a Subsidiary of Nextel, regarding collection of the 911 fee. Russ has been speaking to different groups regarding what we have done & are presently doing to Implement Wireless 911 across the state.

Cell Phone Taxing-Russ Lindblom: Russ talked to Dave McMillon % Western Wireless regarding how they collect the 911 fee from the customers/cell phone users. The wireless carriers by law have to collect the 911 fee a certain way. If they have a cell phone customer that they can not connect an address to, just a box or rural route, then they guess what the address is, a default PPU (Place of Primary Use). They use three sub-markets...pick the lowest taxing entity in that market and send these 911 fees to that taxing entity. After the first of the year these Cellular Phone Companies will be sending out a letter to everyone in the default market and asking them for an address. This law will be put on the ND 911 Association Website.

Wireless 911 Budget Report-Terry Traynor: Terry Traynor presented a handout showing the Wireless 911 Implementation Fund, Revised 911 Project Timeline & Revised Wireless 911 Project Budget. This report shows that there may be extra funds by the end of 2004. If there are extra funds the Wireless Committee will decide how to handle these extra funds...possibly rebate back to the counties? Only two Counties are delinquent in their payments. Talked about setting up a reminder to all the Counties to pay their fees.

2. GIS Sub-Committee: GIS/ Mapping Survey results-Terry Traynor: Terry Traynor handed out a report that showed the Status of Road Centerline GPS, Accuracy of Road Centerline GPS, & Status of all Counties on GIS/GPS Mapping Projects. This report was derived from the information received from the GIS/GPS survey that was sent out to all the County 911 Coordinators. Members discussed the Statewide mapping project. Jerry Bergquist made a motion to pass a resolution of support for the ND Division of Emergency Management to create a statewide seamless digital map, at sub-meter accuracy, utilizing existing data wherever possible, and to make the completed map available to all interested organizations. Fred Debowey seconded this motion. Discussion. The wireless committee will get the draft bid specifications from DOT and give it to the GIS Sub-Committee for input to these Bid Specifications. All in favor. Motion passed. Terry Volk, President, will write a letter to Doug Friez%NDEM to let him know about this motion of support.

3. APCO-Janelle Pepple: The North Central APCO Conference, will be held on April 21-23, 2004 in Rapid City, SD. Please let Janelle know if you are interested in going. APCO has donated a $1,000 to have representation at this Conference. The North Dakota EMD cards are still being worked on. Janelle is very confident that these cards will be accurate & professional, once they are completed. Still talking about an online EMD Class. Check the ND 911 Association Website for dates & times of scheduled EMD classes. To set up EMD classes call Dorinda Brown%Stutsman County 911, Toshia Shaw%West Fargo 911, or Janelle Pepple %Wells County Sheriff/911. Phil Roquette%West Fargo 911 will be having open heart surgery on Monday, December 15^th, 2003 and will be recovering until March or April, 2004.

Discussion of Federal 911 Fee Exemption-Terry Traynor: Federal agencies are governed by Federal Law and are not under State or Local tax laws. There must be documentation that the agency is a Federal Agency & a report must be filed by this agency. Issue of Tribal Members and their taxing requirements...The 1994, Attorney General’s opinion has not changed for Rollette County. The 911 Fee is still a tax. Reservation Telephone states that they see no where in our law that exempts Reservation persons from collecting the fee and they have always collected it. The Cellular Companies also charge the Tribal members throughout the nation and have never had a problem collecting the 911 Fee. State Employees /Agencies also pay this 911 fee.

Election of Officers for 2004: The Nomination Committee made a motion to nominate Carmen Reed as Secretary-Treasurer. Ken Halvorson moved that nominations cease. Rick Hessinger seconded this motion. All in favor. Motion passed.

The Nomination Committee made a motion to nominate Allen Morken as Vice President. Janelle Pepple moved that nominations cease. Ken Halvorson seconded this motion. All in favor. Motion passed. The Nomination Committee made a motion to nominate Becky Ault as President. Gary Kostelecky moved that nominations cease. Fred Debowey seconded this motion. All in Favor. Motion Passed. Ken Halvorson remains our Member-at-Large, a 2 year term.

Roundtable Discussion:

Other Business:

Plaque of Appreciation-Becky Ault: Becky Ault presented a Plaque of Appreciation to Terry Volk for all his hard work during his term as president.

The Next Meeting will be decided on at a later date.

Motion to adjourn: Motion to adjourn was made by Mike Dannenfelzer. Meeting adjourned at 12:00 P.M.

Respectfully submitted,

Carmen Reed/Secretary-Treasurer