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AGENDA and VIDEO. From the San Mateo County Supervisors meeting agenda for Tuesday, Deecember 5th, 2023.
Click for Video
Starts at 2:20:10
Agenda Item #9
Measure K: Adopt a resolution authorizing a one-time grant of district-discretionary Measure K funds, not to exceed $50,000 to Kings Mountain Volunteer Fire Brigade for WiFi installation at the Kings Mountain Community Center to create reliable connectivity for residents in emergencies and for visitors needing internet for safety and orientation, and authorizing the County Executive, or designee, to execute the grant agreement.
To: Honorable Board of Supervisors
From: Michael P. Callagy, County Executive
Subject: Use of District-Discretionary Measure K Funds – Supervisorial District 3
RECOMMENDATION
Measure K: Adopt a resolution authorizing a one-time grant of district-discretionary Measure K funds, not to exceed $50,000 to Kings Mountain Volunteer Fire Brigade for WiFi installation at the Kings Mountain Community Center to create reliable connectivity for residents in emergencies and for visitors needing internet for safety and orientation, and authorizing the County Executive, or designee, to execute the grant agreement.
BACKGROUND
Measure K is the half-cent general sales tax initially approved by San Mateo County voters in November 2012 and extended in November 2016 for a total of thirty years.
The Board of Supervisors (Board) held study sessions on Measure K expenditures and approved funds for the fiscal year (FY) 2023-24 budget cycle, divided equally among the five supervisorial districts, for one-time district-discretionary needs and projects. District 3 has submitted a request to use their district-discretionary Measure K funds as shown below and described in the Project Summary section of this memorandum:
| District/Project | Amount |
| District 3 (Supervisor Mueller) – Kings Mountain Volunteer Fire Brigade: WiFi installation at the Kings Mountain Community Center to provide reliable connectivity for residents in emergencies | $50,000 |
This item is consistent with the criteria for district-discretionary Measure K funds approved by the Board in December 2018. District 3 indicates that this organization is either a public agency operating within the County or a nonprofit organization registered and in good standing with the California Attorney General. District 3 indicates that the sponsoring Board member, member’s family, and member’s supervisorial staff do not serve as an officer, director, or play a policy role for the grantee organization.
PROJECT SUMMARY
This is a request to authorize a grant to Kings Mountain Volunteer Fire Brigade, and resulting grant agreement, in an amount not to exceed $50,000 to support WiFi installation at the Kings Mountain Visitor Center to create reliable connectivity for residents in emergencies and for visitors needing internet for safety and orientation. The County Executive’s Office will administer and manage the proposed agreement.
District 3 indicates that this organization has not previously received Measure K district-discretionary funding.
The Kings Mountain Volunteer Fire Brigade (KMVFB) oversees and supports the Kings Mountain Fire Department (KMFD) in its efforts to prevent any loss of life, personal injury, property damage, or environmental damage caused by fire, natural disaster, vehicle accidents, or other emergencies. Additionally, KMVFB manages the Kings Mountain Community Center building and grounds, and promotes civic and social engagement among Kings Mountain residents. The Kings Mountain Community consists of around 400 homes along Highway 35 (Skyline Blvd) in the Santa Cruz mountains of unincorporated San Mateo County.
This district-discretionary grant will be used to fund the following project or services:
To establish a robust, year-round WiFi network at the Kings Mountain Community Center. KMVFB will retain the services of a specialized systems integrator experienced in WiFi implementations. The grant will pay for hardware, the consulting required for full implementation, and one-year of post installation support. The project includes the following phases:
● Network planning – detailed requirements discussions regarding the environment and intended usage patterns of the system
● Network design – a site-validation step to ensure that the recommended plan will be suitable for the environment as envisioned
● Network installation – procurement and installation of the equipment identified in the prior steps
● Post installation support (1 year) – stabilization and tuning of the system post-implementation to ensure effective operation
As the project will be inclusive of both design and implementation, the exact equipment that will be procured and deployed may change (both model and quantity). The design goals of this implementation are to support:
● Year-round WiFi connectivity inside the Kings Mountain Community Center, and the immediate outdoor area surrounding the community center as a marshaling area
● Temporarily expandable to cover the entire 4-acre property as needed by the community for events or other uses as appropriate
● Support WiFi connectivity for at least 200 people simultaneously, or 400 devices
● Be highly available in the event of power outages, storms, or emergencies both in terms of campus connectivity as well as the internet backhaul that carries traffic off the mountain to the internet at large
● Support community and public usage through multiple WiFi networks, both open and secured
This district-discretionary grant will enable the organization to meet the following currently unmet need or service gap within the County:
The King Mountain community faces persistent challenges regarding internet and cellular connectivity, exacerbated by harsh weather conditions, such as the winter storms in early 2023 that left some residents without power, phone, or internet for up to two weeks. In response to emergency events, the community center recently began providing volunteer-managed, ad-hoc WIFI connectivity, enabling residents to work, file insurance claims, and stay connected with friends and family. For the remainder of the year, however, connectivity is provided on a best-effort basis and is commonly not available. Additionally, people who visit the Kings Mountain area redwoods from other parts of the well-connected Bay Area are often caught off guard by the lack of connectivity, resulting in visitors getting lost or unable to secure transportation back home. A reliable and accessible connectivity solution at the Kings Mountain Community Center could help avoid these potential emergency situations.
District 3 has informed the grantee organization that this grant is one-time only, and that the grantee organization will need to find other sources of funding going forward. The grantee organization will use the Measure K grant as follows:
• Materials and Equipment: $30,750
• Professional Services: $15,998
• Support for 1 year: $2,475
• Contingency: $777
The project or services funded by this district-discretionary grant will be implemented or provided during December 5, 2023 – December 4, 2024 and is estimated to be completed by May 31, 2024. The full cost of one year of support will be paid during this period.
Total Measure K Request: Not to Exceed $50,000
The release of funds will be contingent on the execution of an agreement providing for the County’s confirmation of the expenditure of funds for the purposes stated herein. The County will disburse the funds to the following organization for the purposes described above:
Kings Mountain Volunteer Fire Brigade (Tax ID No. 94-1650185)
Meta Townsley, President
13889 Skyline Boulevard
Woodside, CA 94062
[email protected] <mailto:[email protected]>
408.505.7234
PERFORMANCE MEASURE:
| Description | Target |
| WiFi system installed at the Kings Mountain Community Center | Complete |
The County Attorney’s Office has reviewed and approved the agreement and resolution as to form.
FISCAL IMPACT
There are sufficient Measure K funds for this specific FY 2023-24 Measure K request. These funds are budgeted in the Non-Departmental Services FY 2023-24 Adopted Budget.
Author: Coastside Buzz
Me
