NORCOM Principals Assembly PA Packet 2016.pdf · The NORCOM Principals Assembly was called to order by Kurt ... Telecommunicator Emergency Response Team. The challenges faced by NORCOM

NORCOM Principals Assembly Friday April 8, 2016 9 a.m. Bellevue City Hall

1. Call to Order

2. Introductions

3. Approval of 4/10/2015 Minutes

4. NORCOM Employee Recognition

5. State of NORCOM

6. 2015 Financial Overview

7. Proposed Budget Policy for 2017

*the monthly NORCOM Governing Board meeting will commence immediately following the Principals Assembly

Meeting Minutes NORCOM Principals Assembly Bellevue City Hall – Room 1E-108 April 10, 2015

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Governing Board & Principals Assembly Representatives Present: Pam Bissonnette, Jim Roepke, Bill Archer, Kurt Triplett, Steve Burns, Noel Treat, Bob Larson, Mark Correira, David Burke, Bud Backer, Chris Connor, Jim Torpin, Matt Cowan, Greg Ahearn, Steve Heitman, Claudia Balducci, Harry Oestreich, Ken Callahan, Jerry Smith, and Larry Rude.

1. Call to Order The NORCOM Principals Assembly was called to order by Kurt Triplett, Governing Board Chair, at 9:00 a.m. on April 10, 2015.

2. Introductions Kurt Triplett initiated roundtable introductions of Principals Assembly Representatives, Governing Board Representatives and NORCOM staff.

3. Approval of 2014 Principals Assembly Minutes David Burke made a motion to approve the minutes from the April 11, 2014 Principals Assembly Meeting. Motion carried.

4. NORCOM Employee Recognition King County EMS Dr. Eisenberg gave a brief overview of the history and future of cardiac arrest survival in King County. Amy Warrior presented the EMS sustained award to Angel Francois in absentia. Amanda Coggins was nominated. The Critical Incident award was presented to Margaux Lallas. Amanda Coggins and Chris Burdick were nominated. NORCOM Employee Recognition Tom Orr advised that two NORCOM employees were recipients of the State APCO awards of the year. Jessica Cannon was selected for Sustained performance. Zeb Middle was selected for Technology member of the year Zeb Middleton. Josh Baker and Jami Hoppen were also nominated. Nick Curry is a Smart911 finalist. The following recipients were presented with awards by those by whom they were nominated:

Jessica Cannon was selected as the telecommunicator of the year. Josh Baker was selected as supervisor of the year. Charlene Inman was selected as administrative employee of the year. Zeb Middleton was selected as technology employee of the year.


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The team award was given to the TriTech Mobile Upgrade Team, consisting of: Karen Furuya, Khai Train, Zeb Middleton, Pete Luke, Ketan Vyas, Ed Whitford, Victor Lohr, and Ken Knott.. The Edison award was given to Roky Louie. Tom Orr presented Director Coins to Roky Louie and Nathan Way. Melissa Vieth was not in attendance to receive her coin. Tom Orr expressed gratitude to Tracy Dunlap for her servitude as past interim deputy director and treasurer. Heather Wong was thanked for her efforts in organizing the Principals Assembly.

5. State of NORCOM Tom Orr announced that NORCOM reached its 5-year anniversary in July 2014. Tom Orr spoke about NORCOM’s role in emergency communications. He advised that NORCOM does not play a role in the infrastructure and routing of 911 calls. NORCOM’s role is to answer the 911 calls once the State 911 office routes the calls to NORCOM. NORCOM is funded through assessments by the participating agencies. 13% of funding comes from the E911 office. The 800mhz radio system that NORCOM uses is owned by EPSCA. There is an upcoming ballot to update this system.

Tom Orr played a few audio and visual clips to showcase the complexity of the work NORCOM performs. Tom Orr discussed NORCOM’s 2014 accomplishments, which included, $300K in medical savings, a clean financial audit by the State Auditor’s office, 50% reduction in overtime despite a reduction in full-time employees, 14.96 % increase in net available work hours, $850K refund for New World ICRM contract, high marks during the triennial FBI/WSP State Audit, implementation of Just Culture process, and the formation of the Telecommunicator Emergency Response Team. The challenges faced by NORCOM in 2014 surrounded technology (NG911, NWS ICRM Contract), funding from E911 taxes, a security breach of an FTP server, and competing for talented telecommunicators with the private sector and other PSAPs. Orr discussed the difference between basic and enhanced 911 services, which included visual presentations of a typical dispatch console. Technology and Funding present the most challenges and risks moving forward. Public safety first, technology second. Since 2005, the E911 office has spent $30million on NG-911.


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Smart911 discussion ensued. It is currently installed at NORCOM, but is not functional due to a lack of security. NORCOM’s CAD system is completely closed to the internet, which is a requirement to running this program. The KC911 office is currently working on a new system to allow phones access to the internet. Wireless call routing was presented as a challenge today as well as moving forward. Funding was discussed. Most of the funding from 911 taxes is spent on technology. For the first time, NORCOM faced a reduction in funding from the E911 office. NORCOM was able to work with KC Council to prevent. Fund solvency, risky technology, and a lack of collaboration have been ongoing discussions between NORCOM and the KC Council. Is there any legislation to deal with the decline of landlines? The taxes were increased 3 years ago. Revenue is higher than it ever has been, but the allocation is mixed.

Performance

Orr gave an overview of the 2014 call volume for NORCOM. Measurements used for performance include national and local standards. Orr spoke to quality assurance, staffing, retention, hiring and training, agency requests and public disclosure. The technology team performance was discussed, which includes projects, other, GIS, maintenance, and help desk measurements. The joint integrated prioritization list was discussed. In 2014, the bulk of technology project work was fire related. Spoke to economics, budget by program, capital projects.

A five minute break was called at 1029.

6. 2014 Financial Overview

Gwen Pilo presented the summary of Net position. The 2014 Net position increased approximately $100K from 2013. Unrestricted assets doubled from 2013 due to year-long study of health benefit option, contracts, drastic reduction in overtime, vacant positions in technology and training dollars untilized. Rate stabilization and operating expense funds remained status quo. Capital equipment replacement solvent through 2023. Liabilites increased 26% from 2013. Accounts payable – Total assets. In conclusion, NORCOM remains stable.

7. Proposed Budget Policy 2015


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Revenue and expenditure policies. Capital projects, operating reserves and contingency funds, accounting, auditing and financial policies. New programs will be presented for approval as service level needs are identified. Discuss risks and considerations – pull from past minutes and slides. Finance committee to review user fee analysis. Gwen Pilo discussed: the 2016 proposed budget policy was presented to the Joint Operating Board who recommend it to the Governing Board. Performance measures and core values guide NORCOM’s budget policy. The general financial goals are to sustain consistent high quality service and to avoid using one time revenues for ongoing costs. Operating reserves are 5% of the budget outside of salaries, which may change in the future. The state auditor conducts an annual audit of NORCOM’s finances. NORCOM uses a zero based budget strategy. The operating budget focuses on stability, growth containment, service levels, reviewing workload and staffing model and evaluating health insurance options. A timeline will be established for technology service level agreements and an analysis of IT security will be completed as well. The capital projects budget is focused on the TriTech upgrade, NWS upgrade and changes, and the joint prioritized project list. There may be recommended changes to funding the equipment replacement fund and the operating expense reserve. No discussion. Meeting adjourned at 10:47 am.

Approved by: _________________________________________________ Chair Attest: ___________________________________________ Secretary

2015 Annual Report

Presented to the Principals

Assembly April 8, 2016

NORTH EAST KING COUNTY REGIONAL PUBLIC SAFETY COMMUNICATIONS AGENCY

The core mission of NORCOM is to provide high quality emergency service communications to the public for emergency medical services, fire and police. NORCOM carries out this mission by receiving calls for service; dispatching resources in response to such calls; tracking and coordinating information flow and resources to assist responders; initiating records for all emergency events; and enhancing effectiveness, efficiency, coordination and interoperability of emergency service providers.

NORCOM PO Box 50911 Bellevue, WA 98015 Phone: 425.577.5700 Fax: 425.577.5701

NORCOM MISSION

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Message from the Executive Director

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Message from the Governing Board Chair 4

Message from the Treasurer

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Organizational Chart

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Principal Representatives

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Governing Board

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Joint Operations Board

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Background, Operating Values and Principles

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Benefits of Regionalized Dispatch

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Governance

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Deputy Director’s Report

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Training Report

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Accreditation, Facilities and Continuity of Operations

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Human Resources

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Finance

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Information Technology

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Recognition

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TABLE OF CONTENTS

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Thank you for your interest in NORCOM.

NORCOM holds itself fully accountable to those we serve. As part of that accountability, we are committed to providing an annual report that candidly evaluates our work. In the following pages, we report to you on NORCOM’s operations, finance and technology achievements for 2015. The last year proved to be a significant turning point for NORCOM both internally and externally. Internally, NORCOM welcomed aboard its first full-time Information Technology Director, Dee Hathaway, after an exhaustive national search. Under Dee’s leadership, and with the steadfast and extraordinary effort of his small staff, NORCOM carried out a highly successful upgrade of its TriTech Fire Computer Aided Dispatch (CAD) system while simultaneously upgrading all fire agencies with the latest mobile computer technology. At the same time, NORCOM made major strides towards bringing the police New World CAD system contract towards a conclusion. All of this was done while transitioning away from a contract with Online Business Systems to provide outside project management for the Integrated Communications Records Management System (ICRM). These projects signaled that NORCOM had successfully developed an in-house project management culture, process and expertise. Karen Furuya and Mike Prill distinguished themselves as capable and expert project managers. NORCOM also demonstrated its creativity in responding to the shortage in hiring do to an improved economy. A team of dedicated NORCOM personnel rolled up their sleeves and reinvented our recruiting and hiring process, successfully overcoming a significant drop in available candidates and achieving a 58% reduction in the time to needed to bring a successful candidate through the extensive screening and hiring process. NORCOM’s Finance Manager, Treasurer and Finance Committee continued their excellent track record of assuring financial accountability. NORCOM’s clean audit from the State Auditor in 2015 is just one of many examples of the outstanding financial management of the agency. With Tracey Dunlap’s promotion to Kirkland Deputy City Manager, NORCOM lost not only its long-time treasurer but also one of the few resource experts who had been involved in the formation of NORCOM at its early stages. Fortunately, Michael Olson, Kirkland Finance Director, hit the ground running and, together with Gwen Pilo, NORCOM Finance Manager, assured a smooth transition in 2015.

Tom Orr

425.577.5671 [email protected]

MESSAGE FROM THE EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR

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Externally, NORCOM served as a leader in county-wide discussions involving the eleven other King county Public Safety Answering Points (PSAPs), the King County Council, Sound Cities Association, and the King County E-911 office. Those discussions led to a leading-edge County Ordinance that will help establish a strategic vision and regional framework for a county-wide partnership on technology, operations and finance of the entire E-911 system from the initial call to arrival of first responders on scene.

As you can see, NORCOM has a group of talented and highly-professional personnel dedicated to NORCOM’s mission and purpose. And while this annual report is written by the management team, it is the passion and dedication of all NORCOM employee that, day in and day out, make NORCOM the stellar agency that it is.

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It has been my sincere pleasure to represent the five police agencies and fourteen fire agencies that rely on NORCOM for 911 dispatching services. I am continually impressed by the level of collaboration and cooperation that each of the member agencies commits each year to ensure the essential services provided by NORCOM are properly supported and governed. This last year has been extremely busy with a number of significant accomplishments made in the form of a major technology upgrade, adoption of a new user free methodology, and the ratification of a fair and equitable labor agreement. NORCOM also continued to provide a great deal of leadership on a number of key issues that presented challenges to the Public Safety Answering Points (PSAPs) throughout King County. We were instrumental in forming an effective coalition of nine PSAPs that resulted in the adoption of a new ordinance that provides a voice on decisions related to regional funding, technology implementation and operational practices that impact 911 services. The last two years serving as chair and vice-chair of the NORCOM Governing Board has reinforced by strong belief that the 911 system telecommunicators and those who support them are the true unsung heroes of public safety!

MESSAGE FROM THE GOVERNING BOARD CHAIR

Jim Torpin Fire Chief, Northshore Fire Department

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NORCOM continued its track record of strong financial performance in 2015, including another clean audit. The Finance Committee supports the Treasurer in the oversight of all financial records and reviews the budget, as well as providing support and expertise to the NORCOM Finance Manager. This process helps provide transparency and accountability in financial management to the Governing Board. I was appointed in 2015 as NORCOM’s second Treasurer and have been a member of the Finance Committee since its inception. During this time, the agency has operated with financial excellence due to the hard work and commitment of staff, the Finance Committee, and the Governing Board. I want to thank all those who have worked so diligently to keep NORCOM financially strong. In early 2016, we learned that the Finance Manager will be moving on to another agency. I would like to express appreciation to Gwen Pilo for her years of dedicated work managing NORCOM’s finances. I am confident, with the support provided by the staff and Finance Committee, the record of financial excellence will continue to be upheld while a new Finance Manager is hired.

MESSAGE FROM THE TREASURER

Michael Olson Finance Director, City of Kirkland

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ORGANIZATIONAL CHART

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Mayor John Stokes

Board Chair Alan Gothelf

City Manager

Bob Stowe

Commissioner Eric Hollis

Councilmember Bruce Dodds

Board Chair Eric Adman

Councilmember Penny Sweet

Commissioner Ken Callahan

Mayor Alex Morcos

Chief James Knisley

Mayor Bruce Bassett

Councilmember Charles Peterson

Commissioner Jerry Smith

Chief Jay Wiseman

Board Chair Kevin Coughlin

PRINCIPAL REPRESENTATIVES

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Brad MiyakeCity of Bellevue

Bob Van HorneCity of Bothell

Mitch WassermanCity of Clyde Hill

Kurt TriplettCity of Kirkland

Michael SauerweinCity of Medina

Noel TreatCity of Mercer Island

Bob LarsonCity of Snoqualmie

David BurkeDuvall Fire District #45

Lee SoptichEastside

Fire & Rescue

Chris ConnorFire District 27

Jim TorpinNorthshore

Fire Department

Matt CowanShoreline

Fire Department

James KnisleySkykomish

Fire District #50

Jay WisemanSnoqualmie Pass

Fire & Rescue

Greg AhearnWoodinville

Fire & Rescue

GOVERNING BOARD

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Police Representatives

JOINT OPERATIONS BOARD

Fire Representatives

Mike JohnsonBellevue

Bill ArcherClyde Hill

Mike UrsinoKirkland

Steve BurnsMedina

Dave JokinenMercer Island

Mark MoultonBellevue

Jim RoepkeBothell

Mark CorreiraCity of Snoqualmie

Joel KuhnhennDuvall

Greg TryonEastside

Fire & RescueChris ConnorFall City FD 27

Helen Ahrens-Byington

KirklandTommy Smith

Redmond

Tim DahlShoreline

Jay WisemanSnoqualmie Pass

Peder DavisWoodinville

Fire & Rescue

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NORCOM’s formation in late 2007 and start of operation on July 1, 2009 consolidated the 9-1-1 call answering and emergency radio communications service previously provided by Bellevue, Kirkland, and Mercer Island police and established an operation with an experienced management team focused on the sole mission of answering 9-1-1 calls and dispatching police, fire and EMS service providers in northeast King County. Prior to NORCOM’s formation, there were seven different separate dispatch centers: Bellevue, Issaquah, Bothell, Kirkland, Mercer Island, Redmond and the King County Sheriff’s Office. While all the dispatch centers provided quality public safety, there was extensive replication of administrative and operating structures within a relatively small geographic area. NORCOM’s Statement of Operating Values and Principles was established by the steering committee at the onset of its formation. The committee also completed work on a Business and Services Plan and Technology Strategy that serve as the foundation for NORCOM’s operation. The key elements of this plan: o Defined services to be provided; o Recommended a governance model; o Defined the relationship between subscribers to and owners of the agency; o Recommended a fee structure; o Described the appropriate model for the administration; o Identified the location of the agency and the principles for a lease agreement; o Quantified staffing levels and cost estimate for implementation of the agency; o Identified a technology strategy for completely integrated computer-aided

dispatch, records management and mobile technology for NORCOM; o Identified start-up and transition costs associated with implementation; o Prepared Interlocal Agreement, By-Laws and Articles of Incorporation; o Developed an implementation plan and a recommended timeframe. In 2010, NORCOM began the process of implementing performance measures by identifying what the priorities as a dispatch agency are and tying those priorities to the Operating Principals and Core Values that support the mission.

BACKGROUND, VALUES AND PRINCIPLES

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#1 Level of Service NORCOM’s regional dispatch business model provides many benefits to both agencies and the communities served by the agencies. First and foremost, our goal is to always provide high level service to all agencies served. Through year round introspection and collaboration, we continue to advance and improve communication services across all levels. NORCOM’s operating services boards meet regularly to define and refine shared service protocols and to collaborate on level of service improvements. Response times continue to improve because of the elimination of the transfer of Fire/EMS calls between dispatch agencies. Both police and fire services are developing integrated records management systems (RMS), so that first responders will have real time access to information through a single records system.

#2 Efficiencies and Cost Savings A regionalized dispatch approach provides synergies to all involved, allowing NORCOM member agencies to realize economies of scale. W h i l e N O R C O M ’ s initial efficiencies were modest, as additional partners joined NORCOM, costs can be spread over a wider participation base. While the advances in emergency service technology provide NORCOM ways to improve our methods, it is becoming increasingly complex and expensive to maintain and replace the technology. By sharing the costs among NORCOM’s partner agencies, we’ve eliminated the need for each city or municipality to acquire and maintain their own technology systems. Over the long-term, NORCOM’s partners avoid costs associated with technology replacement at multiple communications centers, and at each agency.

#3 Increased Degree of Control and Decision-Making NORCOM governance and voting procedures give agencies large and small the ability to meaningfully shape the policy decisions made by NORCOM. Elected officials from each of the partner agencies also play an important oversight role for the organization.

BENEFITS OF REGIONAL DISPATCH

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#4 Ability to Control Costs The NORCOM partnership model also offers its member jurisdictions greater certainty to determine the nature and costs of future dispatch operations. Absent NORCOM, the agencies that previously contracted with Bellevue and Kirkland for dispatch services would have paid higher contract costs without the ability to control the overall budget. This full cost recovery contract approach would have significant disadvantages, most notably higher costs without the decision-making control over operations and budget.

BENEFITS OF REGIONAL DISPATCH

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Governance

NORCOM was formed as a non-profit corporation whose members are public agencies and governed by a board on which all principals are represented.

The basic NORCOM structure is quite similar to many other multi-jurisdictional communications center operations. Specifically, there is a governing board on which all principals participate, and which oversees policies and budgets.

The governing board members are comprised of chief executive officers from each agency. That is, a city manager or mayor, fire chief or police chief.

To provide oversight, each member designates one member of its legislative body to represent it at the annual Principals Assembly. The purpose of the Principals Assembly is to present the annual report, review activities of the prior year, preview events and goals for the upcoming year, present the financial management report and report on NORCOM’s performance benchmarks. Principals are provided a platform to advise and guide the governing board on these issues.

In addition to the governing board, there are two operational advisory boards. One advisory board is comprised fire and EMS agencies and the other advisory board is made up of police agencies. These two advisory boards meet separately and then meet monthly, united as the joint operating board.

Voting

NORCOM’s significant financial and operational decisions require a supermajority vote. A supermajority vote requires affirmative votes of: (1) not less than two-thirds of all members of the governing board in number; and (2) not less than two-thirds of the weighted vote of all members of the governing board. Supermajority vote decisions include approval of the annual budget, user fees, and the addition of a new principal.

For routine operational decisions, the governing board operates by consensus, requiring a simple majority vote for approval. However, if a governing board member calls for a two-prong majority vote in advance, the issue at hand will then require a majority vote by number and a majority vote by weight for approval.

GOVERNANCE AND VOTING

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The position of deputy director was established in 2012. Deputy Director responsibilities include management of all day-to-day operational aspects of the NORCOM dispatch call center. In addition to the call center, the deputy director is also responsible for the functioning of operations, training, human resources, accreditation, facilities, continuity of operations and quality assurance. There are currently six full time employees that report to the deputy director.

Operational Highlights of 2015

In 2014, one team supervisor was appointed to function as an administrative supervisor. This position served as NORCOM’s Terminal Access Coordinator, or TAC, and as such, maintained compliance with FBI and WSP rules, regulations, policies and procedures for the ACCESS system. [ACCESS stands for A Central Computerized Enforcement Service System. Given its law-enforcement sensitive data, it is subject to strict rules and is audited every three years.] The value added by this position exceeded expectations. In May 2015 the role was transformed to now serve as police liaison. The liaison position is dedicated to facilitating all police-related operational issues while simultaneously managing TAC duties and ACCESS compliance. Given the success of the police liaison position, another team supervisor was assigned the additional responsibility to function as fire liaison. This position is almost identical to the police position, with its main focus on better serving the unique needs of our 14 fire agencies.

Both positions provide immediate and excellent customer service to all our agencies. Additionally, each position provides an opportunity for senior supervisors to work in an elevated capacity with more responsibility with exposure to complex projects. With an eye on succession planning, the two liaisons are also given an in-house opportunity for career development and knowledge base expansion.

Mike Mandella

425-577-5681 [email protected]

DEPUTY DIRECTOR’S REPORT

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Call Volume and Performance

Call volume for 2015 remained fairly consistent with prior years. NORCOM dispatchers received 290,984 total calls. Of those 290,984 calls, 134,693 calls resulted in police dispatch and 62,053 resulted in fire or medical unit calls being dispatched. A positive trend in 2015 was the reduction in agency inquiries. [An agency inquiry is a process that allows an agency or a citizen to lodge a complaint or inquire as to why or how a certain response was managed]. In 2015, there were 48 total agency inquiries. This compares with 47 in 2014, 53 in 2013, 73 in 2012 and 125 in 2011. The 61% reduction inquiries is due in part to the improvements made to NORCOM’s in-house training program, which addresses mistakes, anomalies or judgment issues in a variety of ways. The reduction in inquiries also contributed to the organizational adjustments that established the police and fire liaison positions.

Tactical Dispatch Team

Established in 2014, this eight member team deployed on four separate occasions in 2015. Three deployments were for SWAT callouts and one deployment was part of the security detail for a visiting high-profiled foreign dignitary. The team, consisting of six seasoned dispatchers and two members of the NORCOM IT team, attended a week-long training in California to become certified. The long term goal for the tactical dispatch team is to provide on-scene communications management at high risk events.

Recruitment and Hiring

The Recruitment Cross Team was formed in 2015 with the purpose of addressing our existing recruitment efforts as well as to looking at ways to streamline our hiring processes. The team consisted of six telecommunicators and the human resources administrator. This team performed exceptionally well, planning for and attending five job fairs and one diversity fair, as well hosting an open house. The team’s public relations efforts resulted in TV news coverage of the open house, which the turnout dramatically. The result of the hard work of the Recruitment Cross Team is evidenced by the fact 19 new telecommunicators were hired in 2015. The team also worked hard to streamline the eight steps of the hiring process. Prior to their efforts, the average time from step one to date of hire had been 173 days. After the team’s recommendations, the average time from step one to date of hire is now 95 days, a reduction of 45%. This dramatic reduction of time was achieved without any reduction or sacrifice of our stringent hiring standards.

DEPUTY DIRECTOR REPORT

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Contract Negotiations

The collective bargaining agreement with the NORCOM Associated Guild expired at the end of 2015. In preparation for bargaining sessions, NORCOM contracted with Agreement Dynamics, a local firm specializing in the provision of Interest Based Bargaining as well as the facilitation of bargaining sessions. In spring of 2015, training in Interest Based Bargaining was conducted by Agreement Dynamics, a local firm specializing in labor relations and the facilitation of labor negotiations. All persons from both labor and management who were integral to the collective bargaining process received three days of training prior to the start of negotiations. The training proved successful, with collaborative negotiations concluding in an agreement that all parties “could live with” in just eight sessions. The new three-year labor agreement expires in December of 2018.

Agency Requests

In 2015, NORCOM responded to 1,290 requests for data, audio recordings, or computer aided dispatch (CAD) logs. The requests came from participating and subscriber agencies, law enforcement agencies, including the King County Sheriff’s Office, Federal Bureau of Investigation, and various city prosecutors.

0

100

200

300

400

500

600

2009 2010 2011 2012 2013 2014 2015

Agency Requests

BLVPD

KIRPD

MEIPD

1-3% Users (KIFD, BEFD, BOFD,ESFR, KCSO Prosecutor, NSFD,REFD, SHFD)

<1% Users (All other)


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Public Records: Public Disclosure Requests

In 2015, NORCOM responded to 289 public disclosure requests. The complexity of these requests range from providing a single copy of a computer aided dispatch (CAD) log to more in-depth collation, review, and compiling of responsive records over the span of a few months.

175 188218

328

278 289

0

50

100

150

200

250

300

350

2010 2011 2012 2013 2014 2015

Public Records Requests Processed

Total Counts


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Public Records: Quality Assurance NORCOM’s in-house quality assurance specialist reviews 911 calls to ensure compliance with procedure, training and expectations. In 2015, 1,170 quality assurance reviews were conducted on police, fire, and medical 911 calls.

Near the end of 2014, a committee was formed to look at overhauling NORCOM’s quality assurance program. The committee consisted of one supervisor, the quality assurance specialist, the training coordinator and a CTO. After months of work, the result was a new quality assurance process and an updated set of evaluation guidelines that are now applied consistently throughout NOROCM. Telecommunicators follow the same standards from the time they are in training until years later when their calls are routinely reviewed for quality assurance. NORCOM has worked hard to ensure training, evaluation and quality are consistent for all telecommunicators.

279 221

411 468

144

390

50206 150 216

55

390

1049 1044

1253 1312

569390

0

200

400

600

800

1000

1200

1400

2010 2011 2012 2013 2014 2015

Number of Quality Assurance Reviews Conducted

PD

FIRE

EMS


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The Work Ahead

o Formation of additional cross teams: Performance Expectations and Feedback and, Career Track Program

o Measure the performance of the Fire Liaison and, when justified, make permanent full time position

o Conduct a promotional process to establish a standing eligibility list for the position of

supervisor o Prepare for and effectively utilize, next generation 911 technology, as appropriate,

including Interim Text to 911 o Prepare and conduct follow-on employee survey to gauge specific technical and

human aspects ascertained from survey of 2012 and 2014


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2015 Photo Album


Shoreline FD: Never too early to learn CPR

Bellevue FD: Deployed to Wenatchee to assist with wildfire and arrived in time to help

with large commercial fire

Duvall FD 45: Barn fire. Thanks to Eastside F&R and Redmond FD, five horses were saved.

Eastside Fire & Rescue: Tribute to MichaelVanDenBergh, who died in the line

of duty September 2015

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New Hire Training

NORCOM hired 15 telecommunicators in 2015, 13 of which received 400 hours of classroom training in our in-house academy. The academy covers topics such as liability, technology, call processing for EMS, fire and police calls as well as police and fire agency structure and geography. To date, nine out of the 15 hired have completed their initial training and are taking emergency calls on their own. Three new hires are still in one-on-one training with a CTO. One new hire resigned, one is on medical leave, and one has moved to another role within NORCOM.

Continuing Education

In 2015, the training division’s focus was to continue to improve the continuing education program for fully trained telecommunicators and team supervisors. In addition to our call receiver academy for new hires, continuing education is of high importance to both the training division and to NORCOM.

Each telecommunicator had a minimum of 24 hours of continuing education training in 2015. This included weekly readers which are weekly quizzes as well as King County EMD classroom and online training.

In addition, a team developed and implemented a High Risk/Low Frequency Simulation training based on a multiple-alarm high-rise structure fire that included a mayday and abandonment component. This scenario was completed by all telecommunicators, several NORCOM administrative staff and was ultimately completed by more than 30 command staff officers of multiple participating fire agencies.

Similar to the high-rise structure fire simulation, the training division also developed an active shooter training. This training was developed in conjunction with the Kirkland Police Department, enabling Kirkland patrol officers and supervisors to see the full 360-degree view of the emergency response mechanics that go into large multi-agency incidents like active shooter. Approximately 30 Kirkland police officers and supervisors completed this training.

TRAINING REPORT

Roky Louie


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The Quarterly Addressing Drills (QAD) program was developed the last quarter of 2014. This is a one-on-one training session between telecommunicators and their supervisor designed to demonstrate and practice verifying complex, difficult or unusual addresses using both CAD systems.

The Training Division continued the QAD program through all of 2015, drilling telecommunicators on 40 additional addresses, ten each quarter. While the QAD program was designed to help deepen a telecommunicator’s ability using our CAD systems, an additional benefit has been helping NORCOM catch, and correct, GIS issues as they develop.

With the success of QAD, the Training Division developed a Quarterly Continuing Education (QCE) program with a similar concept as the QAD but focusing on more general topics such as toning out calls on the .190, toning out priority 1 police calls, and resource emergency. This program was officially rolled out the first quarter of 2016.

Moving Forward

In 2016, NORCOM will focus on getting all 13 telecommunicators that were hired in 2015 through the rest of their training as well as training the seven new hires that started in the first quarter of 2016.

At the end of 2015, eight existing NORCOM telecommunicators were hired as new Communications Training Officers (CTOs).

The Training Division as a whole is dedicated to not lose focus on continuing education training despite the large number of new hire trainees. With great leadership from NORCOM management, the division’s focus on working as a team, and our support from our outside agencies, I am excited to see what all we will be capable of doing in 2016.

TRAINING REPORT

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The Accreditation, Facility, and Continuity of Operations position includes work in each of those elements as well as performance measurement, recognition, and support of other NORCOM business units.

Accreditation

In 1999, CALEA (Commission on Accreditation for Law Enforcement Agencies) partnered with APCO, International (Association of Public Safety Communications Officials) to develop a voluntary program allowing agencies to review and internally assess operations and procedures. Since NORCOM became operational in 2009, the AFC Manager has been involved in SOP review, with keen attention paid to CALEA requirements. NORCOM will be moving forward with CALEA accreditation in 2016.

Facility

Facility issues are routed through and addressed by the AFC manager. In 2015, facility issues included water problems, temperature concerns, and an assortment of other items. During 2015, NORCOM added an office for the deputy director, utilizing space within the existing supervisor office area. An infrequently used shower was converted to a bathroom and the kitchen was updated as well. The quiet room was in need of updating; NORCOM IT director Dee Hathaway and his wife Cindy designed the room, complete with new furniture and lighting.

Also in 2015, NORCOM accepted the Capacity and Workload Study performed by ADCOMM Engineering and is in the process of putting out a facility needs assessment RFP.

ACCREDITATION, FACILITY & CONTINUITY OF OPERATIONS

Sheryl Mullen


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bathrom addition updated kitchen

new deputy directoroffice

new deputy director office, occupied

updated quiet room updated quiet room


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Continuity of Operations

Continuity of operations is an effort to ensure that essential functions continue to be performed during a range of emergencies. Establishing NORCOM’s essential functions is the first step towards ensuring that those functions can be continued throughout, or resumed rapidly after, a disruption of normal activities. Evacuation planning is part of a continuity of operations plan. NORCOM has completed a first draft of a continuity of operations manual and will be working over the next year to clarify the essential functions and determine how best to maintain operations should an emergent event occur.

Call Processing

Incoming calls may come to NORCOM through 911, 7 digit emergency, or business lines. NORCOM is well above the national standard for the speed in which 911 calls are answered. While King County requires that 90% of 911 telephone calls are answered within ten seconds, NORCOM consistently answers 99% of its calls within ten seconds.

In an effort to ensure 911 and other emergency calls are answered quickly, NORCOM has established a secondary phone queue into which calls can be transferred after an initial screening by call receivers. Calls determined to be non-emergency are transferred to this queue and answered by designated call receivers.

During specific periods of high call volume (July 4th, wind storms, etc.), NORCOM makes use of a “surge” queue into which all non-emergency calls related to that specific event are transferred. All NORCOM telecommunicators are trained as emergency call receivers and secondary/surge calls are processed by members of the telecommunicator team.


26

2015 NORCOM Phone Actions

911 Calls

911 Answer %

7 digit EMER

Non-Emergency (Secondary)

Incoming Business

January 13775 99.33% 7453 2747 1488 February 12283 99.55% 6844 2530 1339 March 13675 99.33% 8991 2863 1537 April 13078 99.72% 7535 2886 1627 May 14519 99.46% 7885 2918 1707 June 16154 99.03% 8565 3191 1881 July 16937 98.79% 9268 3277 1767 August 16288 97.85% 9258 3077 1509 September 14160 99.31% 7757 2816 1517 October 15079 99.06% 8231 2402 1478 November 13955 99.17% 7618 2124 1313 December 15234 99.33% 7876 2160 1403 Totals 175,137 99.16% 97,281 32,991 18,566


• 911 Calls = Landline, Wireless, & VoIP Calls • 911 Answer % = % of hours 911 calls were answered 90% of the time within 10 seconds • 7 digit EMER = 425-577-5656 (alarm companies, transfers from agency phones, public

safety agencies) • Secondary Queue = Calls originate via 911 or 7 digit EMER, screened, determined to

be non-emergency, and transferred to this queue • Business = 425-577-5600 (officers, family members, etc.)

27

2015 Call Answer Standard and 911 Call Counts

1377

5

1228

3

1367

5

1307

8

1451

9 1615

4

1693

7

1628

814

160

1507

9

1395

5

1523

4

99.3

3%

99.5

5%

99.3

3%

99.7

2%

99.4

6%

99.0

3%

98.7

9%

97.8

5%

99.3

1%

99.0

6%

99.1

7%

99.3

3%

84.00%

86.00%

88.00%

90.00%

92.00%

94.00%

96.00%

98.00%

100.00%

102.00%

0

2000

4000

6000

8000

10000

12000

14000

16000

18000

Jan

Feb

Mar Ap

r

May Jun Jul

Aug

Sep

Oct

Nov De

c

Number of 911 Calls

GOAL - 90% of calls answeredwithin 10 seconds

NORCOM Monthly 911Answer Standard


28

911 Call Answer Statistics 2010 - Present

The NORCOM adopted standard is 90% of 911 calls will be answered within 10 seconds or less during each hour of a calendar quarter (barring major disasters or other extraordinary events) Standard Source: King County Enhanced 911 Participation Agreement

99.3

3%

99.5

5%

99.3

3%

99.7

2%

99.4

6%

99.0

3%

98.7

9%

97.8

5% 99.3

1%

99.0

6%

99.1

7%

99.3

3%

77.00%

82.00%

87.00%

92.00%

97.00%

102.00%

STANDARD

2010

2011

2012

2013

2014

2015


29

Call Dispatching

While callers are still speaking with call receivers, NORCOM dispatchers are notified of the call and information is relayed to field personnel. Calls are prioritized and dispatched to field personnel quickly with additional information provided as units are en route. NORCOM uses computer aided dispatch software (CAD) to track calls and dispatch information. Calls requiring police and fire response can be processed and dispatched at the same time through the immediate access to information in the New World (for law enforcement) and TriTech (for fire agencies) CAD systems.

2015 All Priority Police Calls To Date

* All Calls with a unit Dispatched

- Not Officer initiated

Traffic Stops - NORCOM Assistance

Needed

** Officer

Initiated

***Calls without a

unit assigned

**** TOTAL CAD Incidents

***** Billable Calls for Service

Bellevue PD 55993 6672 1032 26294 89991 51888 Clyde Hill PD 1728 929 758 404 3819 1945 Kirkland PD 34147 14016 461 14480 63104 40533 Medina PD 2536 525 1251 339 4651 2243 Mercer Island PD 8079 6442 124 3311 17956 13020 TOTAL 102483 28584 3626 44828 179521 109629 * All CAD Incidents for Jurisdiction excluding officer initiated ** All CAD Incidents for Jurisdiction - Officer Initiated Calls *** All CAD Incidents for Jurisdiction without a unit dispatched (E911 Hang Up Calls, Info Documentation/Broadcast/ Etc) **** Total CAD Incidents for Jurisdiction ***** Billable Call for Service Numbers obtained from Finance

Police Priority 1/2 Call Received to Call Dispatched (Goal <1 minute) – 2015 Average = 1:03 JAN FEB MAR APR MAY JUN JUL AUG SEP OCT NOV DEC

:52 1:01 1:05 :54 1:13 :56 1:06 1:01 1:01 1:06 1:02 1:19 Police Priority 3 Call Received to Call Dispatched (Goal <3 minutes) – 2015 Average = 2:01

JAN FEB MAR APR MAY JUN JUL AUG SEP OCT NOV DEC 1:49 1:50 1:49 1:49 2:09 2:14 2:14 2:08 1:51 2:06 2:02 2:11

Police Priority 4/5 Call Received to Call Dispatched (Goal <1 hour) – 2015 Average = 20:42 JAN FEB MAR APR MAY JUN JUL AUG SEP OCT NOV DEC

18:47 18:50 18:17 20:02 23:42 20:11 22:04 22:18 20:53 22:45 20:11 20:29


30

Procedures for dispatch processes are established by NORCOM in conjunction with police and fire representatives through the Fire Service Board & Police Service Board. These boards have established service levels which NORCOM strives to maintain. Included in the chart above and below are incident volume and response time information.

2015 Priority 0-5 Fire Emergency & Non-Emergency Calls Priority 0-4 CAD

Incidents Still Alarms Priority 5 (NON-

EMER) CAD Incidents

Total CAD Incidents

Bellevue Fire 12528 292 1672 14492 Bothell Fire 4999 77 638 5714 Duvall Fire 656 41 120 817 Eastside Fire & Rescue 7652 136 1170 8958 Fall City Fire 354 31 112 497 Kirkland Fire 6665 58 931 7654 Mercer Island Fire 1941 60 397 2398 Northshore Fire 2417 50 376 2843 Redmond Fire 6133 75 675 6883 Shoreline Fire 6652 68 849 7569 Skykomish Fire 194 31 30 255 Snoqualmie Pass Fire 246 31 26 303 Snoqualmie Fire 823 30 83 936 Woodinville Fire 2359 61 314 2734 TOTAL 53619 1041 7393 62053

% of Emergency Fire/EMS call received to call dispatched (Goal=90% in 60 seconds or less) 2014 Average = 88%

JAN FEB MAR APR MAY JUN JUL AUG SEPT OCT NOV DEC 91% 91% 90% 90% 90% 88% 89% 85% 89% 86% 87% 86%

% of Emergency Fire/EMS call received to call dispatched (Goal=99% in 90 seconds or less) 2014 Average = 97%

JAN FEB MAR APR MAY JUN JUL AUG SEPT OCT NOV DEC 97% 97% 97% 97% 97% 97% 97% 96% 97% 96% 96% 95%


31

This chart includes all calls entered into the CAD system with a unit dispatched on them (NOT calls for service by budget definition)

2010

2011*

2012

2013

2014

Total Calls (3

3 Year Average of Police

3 Year Average of All Calls

2015

2015 % of police calls to

Bellevue PD 64425 73673 54113 53057 58889 166059 42.00% 29.13% 63697 47.29% Clyde Hill PD 3073 2880 2829 2746 2514 8089 2.05% 1.42% 3415 2.54% Kirkland PD 44863 62925 63787 53499 54993 172279 43.57% 30.22% 48624 36.10% Medina PD 2434 2034 3670 4218 3093 10981 2.78% 1.93% 4312 3.20% Mercer Island PD 11705 13035 12745 10830 14428 38003 9.61% 6.67% 14645 10.87% Police Totals ** 126500 154547 137144 124350 133917 395411 100.00% 69.37% 134693 100.00%

** Police Calls include only calls with a unit dispatched on them

2010

2011

2012

2013

2014

Total Calls (3

3 Year Average of Fire

3 Year Average of All Calls

2015

2015 % of fire calls to

Bellevue Fire 13141 12652 13357 13487 14346 41190 23.59% 7.23% 14492 23.35% Bothell Fire 4456 4243 4513 4747 5386 14646 8.39% 2.57% 5714 9.21% Duvall Fire 801 739 776 772 847 2395 1.37% 0.42% 817 1.32% Eastside Fire 7943 7661 8127 8286 8600 25013 14.33% 4.39% 8958 14.44% Fall City Fire 480 416 505 457 498 1460 0.84% 0.26% 497 0.80% Kirkland Fire 6323 6510 6998 6854 7163 21015 12.04% 3.69% 7654 12.33% Mercer Island Fire 2242 2120 2153 2104 2364 6621 3.79% 1.16% 2398 3.86% Northshore Fire 2866 2514 2802 2831 2870 8503 4.87% 1.49% 2843 4.58% Redmond Fire 6598 6150 6342 6318 6899 19559 11.20% 3.43% 6883 11.09% Shoreline Fire 6730 6355 6769 6837 7472 21078 12.07% 3.70% 7569 12.20% Skykomish Fire 323 280 295 274 266 835 0.48% 0.15% 255 0.41% Snoqualmie Pass Fire 236 278 311 305 311 927 0.53% 0.16% 303 0.49% Snoqualmie Fire 801 778 802 906 863 2571 1.47% 0.45% 936 1.51% Woodinville Fire 3285 3019 2963 2990 2821 8774 5.03% 1.54% 2734 4.41% Fire Totals ** 56225 53715 56713 57168 60706 174587 100.00% 30.63% 62053 100.00% ** Fire Calls include only calls with a unit dispatched on them * 2011 includes calls entered into New World & TriTech - some overlap exists.


CAD Calls by Year Updated 1/1/2016

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The focus of the human resources business unit is to ensure quality services to both internal and external customers by the fair and consistent administration of NORCOM’s personnel policies and procedures, doing so through NORCOM’s cultural values. The emphasis from this business unit is to deliver services with the C.A.R.E.S. program in mind at all times. Human resources maintains personnel, medical, and recruitment records, organizes recruiting and hiring processes, and disseminates information about changes in personnel law, programs, and policy. As a member of the Labor Management committee, the human resources administrator works closely with NORCOM’s two labor groups: the Public Safety Employees Union (PSEU) 519 for the team supervisors and the NORCOM Associated Guild (NAG) for the telecommunicators.

Challenges

The human resources unit underwent significant changes in 2015. In the first quarter, NORCOM HR had two full time employees: one HR manager and one HR specialist. The positions were consolidated to one HR FTE functioning as a human resources administrator. The administrator left NORCOM mid-year, leading to an extensive search for a replacement. In addition to the specific problem of an HR vacancy, the local labor pool began contracting as the public sector increased their pace of hiring. The tight labor market impacted NORCOM as well as all other local PSAPs.

Solutions

In July, a recruitment committee was established to assess the existing recruitment program and testing/evaluation phases of the hiring program. The committee made several recommendations, many of which were implemented, including active participation in multiple job fairs and open house events that resulted in contact with more than 1,000 prospective candidates. The following chart illustrates the effectiveness the committee’s recommendations in terms shortening the hiring process timeframe. In addition to the formation of a recruitment committee, the Governing Board approved resolution 112 in the first quarter of 2016, which called for an increase in the HR salary range and a reclassification of the job duties. NORCOM’s training coordinator Roky Louie started in this position in March 2016.

HUMAN RESOURCES

Roky Louie


33

HUMAN RESOURCES

Recruitment Committee Recommendations & Impact on the Hiring Time Frame

Pass Rate Controllable Uncontrollable Total Pass Rate Controllable Uncontrollable Total

Split Ear Test 82.69% 30.15 0.00 30.15 77.63% 8.27 0.00 8.27

Preliminary Interview 68.75% 6.29 0.00 6.29 64.06% 6.47 0.00 6.47

Suitability Assessment Re 75.86% 10.32 15.15 25.47 63.16% 2.60 12.70 15.30

Backgroundinsufficient

data*6.18 44.33 50.52 54.17% 1.93 37.86 39.79

Polygraphinsufficient

data*13.00 26.00 39.00 81.25% 0.88 10.94 11.82

Psychological Examinsufficient

data*5.00 5.00 10.00 91.67% -2.00 7.64 5.64

Final Interviewinsufficient

data*11.50 0.00 11.50 100.00% 10.82 0.00 10.82

TOTALSinsufficient

data*82.45 90.49 172.94 12.67% 28.97 69.13 98.11

*there were not enough examples during this time period to provide accurate percentage data

Duration in Days Duration in Days

January - June of 2015 July - December of 2015

34

Telecommunicator Hiring

The end result of the recruitment cross team’s work was the hiring of eighteen telecommunicators in the last half of 2015. This effectively brought the telecommunicators group to full staffing. Additionally, the recruitment efforts enabled NORCOM to build a pipeline of fully vetted and hirable candidates. There are currently four candidates at the ready to fill future telecommunicator vacancies.

Relationship Building Beyond reaching out to potential applicants, the recruitment cross team also reached out to testing agencies, polygraphers, psychologists, and background investigators. A more personable relationship was formed with Public Safety Testing (PST), and a new partnership was formed with the National Testing Network (NTN). By having more than one contractor available for the external screening processes, NORCOM was able to be more responsive in situations where there was backlog within a single agency. Relationships were also established and maintained with other emergency call centers, including Sean Morrow at Valley Communications Center and Jessica Wass at SNOPAC. Additionally, both Mei Barker and Lisa Longdon have collaborated with NORCOM to ensure NORCOM utilizes the newest best practices for hiring telecommunicators.

Exit Interviews Exit interviews are conducted with employees who voluntarily leave NORCOM. This is an essential tool used to fully understand the employee’s experience while they worked for NORCOM. Data collection and analysis help identify individual problems versus an emerging trend and identify issues systemic to the organization or reflective of a business unit. This information is reported on a regular basis and appropriate action is taken as needed.

HUMAN RESOURCES

35

*Three of the six experienced employees who exited the telecommunicator workgroup in 2013 were promoted to the team supervisor workgroup and did not actually leave the organization.

Exit Interview Data 2009 2010 2011 2012 2013 2014 2015# of Voluntary Quits 4 15 5 14 5 4 7% of exit interviews conducted on VQ's 50% 91% 27% 92% 80% 50% 71%

Reason for Leaving 2009 2010 2011 2012 2013 2014 2015Voluntary Quits* 4 15 5 14 5 4 7 *Pursue School 1 1 1 1 0 0 0 *Pursue Another Field 0 4 1 2 2 1 2 *Work at another communications cen 2 1 1 1 2 1 0 *Working Conditions 1 1 0 2 0 0 1 *Stay at Home 0 1 1 2 0 1 0 *Moving 0 6 0 3 0 0 3 *Retired 0 0 0 2 1 0 0 *Family/Personal 0 1 1 1 0 1 1

Terminations 5 11 17 4 0 0 1Discontinuation of Training 0 0 0 0 2 2 1Promotions 0 0 0 3 3 3 0

2009 2010 2011 2012 2013 2014 2015

A Total Number of employees at the highest staffing level for that year

62 70 65 60 61 63 60.5

B Number of new hires that failed to complete the probationary period

5 11 17 4 2 2 0

C Number of experienced employees who left for any reason

4 18 4 10 6* 5 9

D Turnover Rate (Turnover = B + C/A)

14.52% 41.43% 32.31% 23.33% 13.11% 11.11% 14.87%

E Retention Rate (Retention = 1-Turnover) x 100

85.48% 58.57% 67.69% 76.67% 86.89% 88.89% 85.13%

Telecommunicator Workgroup

Calculating the Average Turnover Rate Year

HUMAN RESOURCES

Exit Interview Data

36

The Hiring Process NORCOM uses the services of Public Safety Testing (PST) to provide the initial testing for our applicants. The testing measures skills such as typing speed, reasoning, comprehension and writing ability. Applicants who pass the test at PST (70% or better) come to NORCOM for the split-ear/multi-task testing. Those who pass the split-ear test (80% or better) are scheduled for an orientation. Upon conclusion of the orientation, applicants are afforded an opportunity to ask questions they may have about the job, the process, or NORCOM in general. After successful completion of the orientation, applicants then return to PST for a suitability assessment, which measures general aptitude for the specialized work of an emergency telecommunicator. Applicants with moderate or low risk scores are sent a conditional offer letter. This is the point where the selection process changes from a testing phase to an evaluation phase. Applicants become candidates and are scheduled for a one hour site visit in the NORCOM communications room. This is largely for the candidate’s benefit, exposing them to the room atmosphere, the amount of technology surrounding them, and depending on the activity in the room, the opportunity to talk with on-duty personnel. After the site visit, the candidate is then scheduled for a psychological evaluation and polygraph while simultaneously being backgrounded. Candidates who are recommended at the conclusion of these evaluations go on to a final interview with the executive director and the deputy director. Following the final interview, decisions are made to offer employment and an invitation to join the next call receiver academy. Those that receive this offer are sent for a post- offer/pre-employment physical, drug test and audiogram.

HUMAN RESOURCES

37

2016 Goals and Objectives

o Maintain staffing levels at or near 100%. Industry standards related to turnover can range from 17 – 23%. NORCOM is highly attentive to retention numbers while balancing the impacts upon the agency to retain personnel that are unable to perform the essential functions of the job;

o Be agile and responsive to the recruitment, hiring, and retention of qualified employees in all business units to meet NORCOM’s standards of performance and professionalism without negatively impacting the Training Program, or continuity of operations. This translates to coordinating effectively with each business leader in terms of staffing needs and the timing of hires;

o Standardize internal communications via approved templates that include the intended message, required language, and appropriate tone. These will focus predominately on counseling and disciplinary actions and may also include other needed communications such as performance improvement plans;

o Prepare for and execute a promotional process to establish an eligibility list for the

position of team supervisor;

o Monitor the testing and evaluation practices of Public Safety Testing for telecommunicator candidates.

o Work with Public Safety Testing to continue to create a list of qualified candidates

to fill vacant telecommunicator positions to reduce the amount of time a position is vacant.

HUMAN RESOURCES

38

The finance business unit provides fiduciary support to other business units and has primary responsibility for day-to-day management of NORCOM’s financial assets and resources including budget monitoring, accounts payable, payroll, accounts receivable, investments, and fixed assets. Additionally, the finance business unit oversees the development of the annual budget and prepares the annual financial statements. The finance business unit also coordinates employee benefits, centralized services, and risk management. NORCOM is required to file financial statements each year with the Washington State Auditor’s office and is subject to annual audits. The financial statements of NORCOM are prepared in conformity with generally accepted accounting principles (GAAP) as applied to governmental units. The Governmental Accounting Standards Board (GASB) is the accepted standard-setting body for establishing governmental accounting and financial reporting principles.

Health Benefits Committee NORCOM joined the Association of WA Cities Employee Benefit Trust in July 2014. 2015 was the first year NORCOM was eligible to participate and be recognized for achieving the nine standards of quality in employee health promotion. The wellness standards are based on current research and best practice models. WellCity Awards are granted for accomplishments completed in 2015 and will be announced in April 2016. Each award recipient receives an award plaque, press release, window decals and a WellCity road sign to help the community celebrate the achievement. Members who earn the 2016 award will receive a 2% discount on all trust medical plan premiums. The discount will be applied to 2017 premiums for active employees, spouses, and dependents. In NORCOM’s first year as a wellness program, we hit the ground running. A resolution was approved by the Governing Board supporting the wellness program and a committee was formed. The first few committee meetings focused on education and planning to familiarize committee members with the standards and resources that AWC provides and how to utilize the data gathered from the annual health questionnaire. The committee also worked to create the program mission statement, name, tagline and logo, as well as a calendar of events for the year.

FINANCE

Gwen Pilo


39

The committee did a considerable amount of work in a short period of time and promoted NORCOM On Track consistently throughout the year with various activities, including: the Biggest Loser, the Spring Live Out Loud campaign, a five-week Focus on Nutrition, Summer Safety, the Employee Picnic, Health Screenings, National Preparedness Month, National Save for Retirement Week, Cure for the Cold, Soup/Chili/Chowder Days and distribution of “A Good Night’s Sleep” booklets and wellness calendars for 2016. NORCOM On Track encourages employee participation by planning a variety of activities that reflect the interests and needs of the employees and builds a culture of wellness by creating workplace conditions that support well-being.

NORCOM On Track’s mission statement is to

create a team-oriented work environment that is supportive of positive health practices and

encourages physical, social, mental and emotional wellness.

FINANCE

40

User Fee Study In late 2013, a request for proposal was released for a user fee policy review and analysis. The contract was awarded to ADCOMM Engineering. ADCOMM presented their final report in June 2014, which consisted of an overview of NORCOM’s current User Fee Model, impacts to changing the current model, issues that will impact future funding formulas, and three different options for funding formulas. NORCOM’s current formula is defined in the Inter-local Agreement; however it can be changed as part of the budget process. The current model identifies all expenditures and splits them 50/50 between police and fire agencies before allocating costs to the participants based on calls for service. Changing the formula will have impacts to our users, both positive and negative, depending on when the change is made, the implementation process and the size of the agency. Issues that may impact future funding models are related to using two CAD systems and the impacts to staff, and the technology service level agreements that are being developed. The Three user fee approaches were presented. 1. Calls for Service Distribution model where fees are based solely on the number of calls an agency generates. 2. The Functional Distribution model, which takes into consideration calls for service and staff distribution for functions performed (call-taking, police dispatch, fire dispatch and police data). 3. The Service Metric Distribution model, which uses both calls for service and staff distribution, but also includes agency population and commissioned officers as a metric. After analyzing each option for sustainability, predictability, understandability, equity, and administrative ease, the Functional Distribution model was determined to be the best option based on the criteria. As part of the 2016 budget process, the Governing Board requested NORCOM provide a comparative analysis to determine if this model should be adopted in 2017. This analysis was provided in November 2015 with several variations of the Functional Distribution model and the impacts to the User Fees of each agency. The Board approved Resolution 111 in February of 2016 approving the Functional Distribution Model as the method to determine user fees beginning in 2017.

FINANCE

41

2015 Expenditures The 2015 Budget was approved with an increase of 3.6% in the operating funds. Personnel service costs increased 0.8% due to the move to the Association of Washington Cities Benefit Trust for Medical, Dental and Vision and the reduction of the cost of medical benefits (25.9%). Continued staffing analysis using the APCO Retains formula supported an increase of two FTEs in 2014; overtime was reduced 20% to offset the increase in FTEs. NORCOM ended 2015 within budget and is now in the process of determining how unspent funds from 2015 should be applied in 2016. Once the most important areas of need are identified, the Governing Board will be presented with a proposal to amend the 2016 budget. The following graphs display the 2015 Budget vs. Actual broken down by major category and expenditures by category.

FINANCE

42

2015 Expenditures by Category

Actual expenditures for salaries & operations were 8.5% less than budgeted and can be attributed to three main areas: a deferred payment on a software maintenance contract ($388,160) until the software company fixes several problems within the software, several vacant positions in the information technology and operations department ($372,545), and repairs and maintenance budgeted but not realized ($163,348).

Personnel 8,531,353 Maintenance/Operations 2,656,243 Capital Expenditures 493,125 Total 11,680,721$

FINANCE

43

Overtime by Department

The overtime hours logged by each department eligible to earn overtime is displayed in the chart below.

In 2015, telecommunicator overtime increased 77% and supervisor overtime increased 82%. Operations struggled to remain fully staffed for most of the year. By the end of the year there were eight trainees in class, 84% of telecommunicators were released at the call receiver position, and 78% were released to work more than one position. The overtime listed above equates to approximately 5.5 FTEs, an increase from 2014 (OT equivalent to 4 FTEs). Supervisor overtime increased due to the reduction in the FTE count when the police liaison position was created.

FINANCE

44

Communications Staffing Model and Net Available Work Hours Staffing levels are continually analyzed for the communications business unit. The analysis uses detailed payroll information for each telecommunicator to determine the number of net available work hours a telecommunicator is available. The charts below follow the APCO Retains methodology to determine net available work hours for 2015. When applied to NORCOM’s staffing model, 26 call receivers and 35 dispatchers are required to cover NORCOM’s current positions. This number is consistent with 2014 numbers. Call Receivers Dispatchers

Net available work hours (NAWH) decreased in 2015 for call receivers from 1,429 to 1,371. Conversely, NAWH increased for dispatchers from 1,420 to 1,483.

Working Hours available per year 1,803Less: Vacation & Comp Time 135 Holidays 69 Training, Conferences, Spec. Duty 117 Administrative Leave 15 Sick time, Bereavement 95 LWOP, OJI, JD 1 Total hours not available . . . . . . . . . . . . . 431Available hours per employee per year 1,371Hours in a year (365 days x 24 hours) 8,760

Staffing ratio (Hours in year/Hours available) 6.39

Calculating the Number of Call Receiver's RequiredCall Receiver Positions Required on Watch 4.00

Times Staffing Ratio: 6.39Call Receiver's Required to be employed 25.55

Working Hours available per year 1,917

11675

1301695

1 Total hours not available . . . . . . . . . . . . . 434Available hours per employee per year 1,483Hours in a year (365 days x 24 hours) 8,760

Staffing ratio (Hours in year/Hours available) 5.91

Calculating the Number of Dispatcher's RequiredDispatcher Positions Required on Watch 5.83

Times Staffing Ratio: 5.91Dispatcher's Required to be employed 34.44

LWOP, OJI, JD

Training, Conferences, Spec. Duty Administrative Leave Sick time, Bereavement

Less: Vacation & Comp Time Holidays

FINANCE

45

Budget by Program NORCOM tracks expenses by program in order to provide information on the cost of services. In the chart below, each program of the operating budget that expenses can be directly attributed to is presented. This method allows for better tracking of the services NORCOM offers and the cost of those services.

FINANCE

46

Capital Projects Integrated Communications & Records Management Project

The Capital Projects Fund was created to track projects lasting more than a year. The Integrated Communications and Records Management (ICRM) project began in 2008 with an initial budget of $5.065 million, and was scheduled to be completed in 2010. Due to setbacks in the development of critical software, a professional services contract for project management was signed with Online Business Systems (OBS) in 2012 and NORCOM restructured management and oversight of the ICRM project. A steering committee was formed to help with project decisions and direction and the Governing Board authorized the executive director to enter into an agreement with Foster Pepper for special counsel to support NORCOM. Late in 2012, NORCOM initiated dispute resolution with New World Systems with respect to delays in delivery of the software, as well as defects in the software that had been delivered. The contract provided for dispute resolution in such instances. Dispute resolution took place in 2013 and was unsuccessful. Mediation was scheduled in Detroit, Michigan on March 3, 2014. Although both parties left mediation without an agreement, a Mediators Agreement was approved by the Governing Board in April, and in June the Board approved the Settlement Agreement and Third Amendment to the New World Systems Contract. On July 24, 2014, NORCOM received a payment of $850,000 from New World Systems as part of the Settlement Agreement signed June 16, 2014.

As a result of the delivery delays and defects, the NORCOM Governing Board engaged in a strategic reassessment of the entire project. Online Business Systems conducted an Alternative Strategies Assessment (ASA) in an effort to assist NORCOM in identifying a new roadmap for the ICRM project. The result of the ASA acknowledged the viability of a new path for Fire Computer Aided Dispatch (CAD), mobile and Records Management System (RMS), instead of the original Integrated CAD/Mobile/RMS that was to be shared with Police. The ICRM vendor, New World Systems, proposed a change in contract whereby New World Systems would no longer be the provider for the Fire portion of the ICRM system. Since that time, NORCOM and New World Systems have been working towards this model.

This change from an integrated Police/Fire CAD/Mobile/RMS system to two separate tracks has prompted reorganization within the ICRM program, new stakeholder groups, and a new method for identifying and approving projects.

FINANCE

FINANCE

47

The ICRM program is now defined as a collection of several projects that have related goals and shared resources. Projects are identified within the new Fire and Police Stakeholder groups and presented to the Executive Director and IT Director for prioritization based on available personnel and funding resources. The chart on the following page shows what has been spent to date on ICRM projects and the amount remaining on the New World Systems contract and the TriTech Mobile contract at the end of 2015. Of the $450,510 remaining, $274,509 is for police; $176,000 is for the 2013 SSMA payment that will be paid to New World once all P1 and P2 issues have been resolved. At the end of 2015, $8.5 million was budgeted and $8.0 million has been spent.

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New World Systems Contract Spent to Date

Increase from

Change Orders

Remaining Commitment

2008 521,072$ 2,927,902$ 2009 972,809$ 1,955,093$ 2010 830,976$ 155,702$ 1,279,819$ 2011 712,174$ 381,966$ 925,020$ 2012 -$ -$ 925,020$ 2013 -$ -$ 925,020$ 2014 312,990$ -$ 450,510$ 2015 -$ -$ 450,510$

Total Spent at 12/31/15 3,350,021$

TriTech Mobile Contract Spent to Date

Increase from

Change Orders

Remaining Commitment

2014 282,745$ -$ 77,888$ 2015 77,888$ -$ -$

Total Spent at 12/31/15 360,633$

Other ExpensesConsumable Goods 535$ Small Tools & Equipment 20,381$ Computer Equipment 1,006,728$ Travel & Lodging 28,528$ Training 10,866$ Advertising 486$ Professional Services & Project Consulting 2,488,663$ GIS Consulting 417,914$ Software Licensing 353,048$

Total Spent at 12/31/14 4,327,149$

8,037,803$

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Net Position & Capital Assets

NORCOM’s net position at the end of 2015 is $9.4 million. The largest portion of NORCOM’s net position is invested in capital assets. Capital equipment reserves ($1,509,090), operating expense reserve ($113,602), and the rate stabilization fund ($557,516) equal 23% of the net position. 11% of net position is designated for the Integrated Communications & Record Management Project. The breakdown of NORCOM’s net position is depicted in the graph below.

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Beginning Balance Ending Balanceas of as of

1/1/2015 Additions Deletions 12/31/2015Capital Assets, not being depreciated:Work in progress 3,144,957$ 107,791$ (3,144,958)$ 107,791$

Capital assets, being depreciated: Machinery and Equipment 4,532,438 3,148,478 (3,923,032) 3,757,884

Intangible Assets - Software - 3,999,103 3,999,103 Less Accumulated Depreciation for: Machinery and Equipment (2,819,783) (433,177) 541,037 (2,711,922)

Intangible Assets - Software - (642,094) (642,094) Capital Assets, net of depreciation 1,712,655$ 6,072,310$ (3,381,994)$ 4,402,970$

Total Capital Assets, net 4,857,612$ 6,180,101$ (6,526,952)$ 4,510,761$

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NORCOM’s Capital Assets at December 31 2015

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Budget to Forecast Comparison Ever mindful of the economic situation, the NORCOM team always looks toward the future to identify service levels and customer needs, while focusing on efficiency and cost savings. The charts on the next page compare the business and services 10-year outlook to NORCOM’s actual budget for the last seven years for outside revenue, budgeted assessments, and budgeted expenditures.

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Budget to Forecast Comparison

-

500,000

1,000,000

1,500,000

2,000,000

2009 2010 2011* 2012 2013 2014 2015 2016

Budgeted Outside Revenue vs. 10 year Forecast

Budgeted Outside Revenue

10 Year Forecast

7,500,000

8,000,000

8,500,000

9,000,000

9,500,000

10,000,000

10,500,000

11,000,000

11,500,000

2009 2010 2011* 2012** 2013 2014 2015 2016

Budgeted Assessments vs. 10 Year Forecast

Budgeted Assessments

10 Year Forecast

9,000,000

9,500,000

10,000,000

10,500,000

11,000,000

11,500,000

12,000,000

12,500,000

13,000,000

2009 2010 2011* 2012 2013 2014 2015 2016

Budgeted Expenditures vs. 10 Year Forecast

Budgeted Expenditures

10 Year Forecast

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Smoothing & Impact to User Fees During the formation stages of NORCOM it was found that Bellevue was subsidizing the dispatch operation and many agencies would not be able to afford the full cost of doing business. Bellevue agreed to a fixed dollar amount ($5.5 million) paid over a period of seven years (smoothing period), allocated 30% to police and 70% to fire, and applied to agency fees based on their call volume. The amount Bellevue pays, known as “smoothing,” decreases each year. The chart below shows the amount of smoothing to be allocated in each year.

The following depicts an estimate of the smoothing allocation for each agency in the years to come:

SMOOTHING PERIOD 2009 2010 2011 2012 2013 2014 2015 2016TOTAL SMOOTHING

575,000$ 1,117,500$ 996,000$ 832,000$ 694,500$ 580,000$ 484,500$ 220,500$ 5,500,000$ Smoothing - Police - 30% 172,500 335,250 298,800 249,600 208,350 174,000 145,350 66,150 Smoothing - Fire - 70% 402,500 782,250 697,200 582,400 486,150 406,000 339,150 154,350

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SMOOTHING PERIOD 2009 2010 2011 2012 2013 2014 2015 2016Credit Police Bellevue 345,053$ 335,250$ 298,800$ 249,600$ 208,350$ 174,000$ 145,350$ 66,150$ Clyde Hill (16,616) (17,778) (13,641) (4,891) (4,937) (4,199) (3,468) (1,578) Kirkland (233,593) (223,435) (204,160) (204,473) (160,598) (136,094) (114,192) (51,970) Medina (21,969) (22,168) (16,364) (5,724) (5,514) (5,075) (5,093) (2,318) Mercer Island (72,875) (71,868) (64,635) (34,512) (37,302) (28,633) (22,597) (10,284) SMOOTHING PERIOD 2009 2010 2011 2012 2013 2014 2015 2016Credit Fire Bellevue 805,124$ 782,250$ 697,200$ 582,400$ 486,150$ 406,000$ 339,150$ 154,350$ Bothell (71,015) (72,161) (66,573) (53,747) (45,234) (37,970) (35,653) (16,226) Eastside Fire & Rescue (136,133) (140,254) (129,225) (99,849) (82,745) (69,776) (58,621) (26,679) KCFD # 27 Fall City (11,341) (10,202) (8,003) (5,987) (4,689) (4,129) (3,316) (1,509) KCFD # 45 Duvall (14,979) (14,758) (13,589) (10,234) (8,018) (6,482) (5,325) (2,423) KCFD # 50 Skykomish (5,092) (5,415) (5,063) (3,314) (2,484) (2,068) (1,585) (721) Kirkland (110,564) (109,126) (97,654) (81,915) (67,908) (59,966) (49,654) (22,598) Mercer Island (34,613) (36,287) (34,430) (27,959) (23,499) (18,944) (15,508) (7,058) Northshore Fire (50,396) (50,871) (44,115) (34,838) (28,220) (23,031) (19,013) (8,653) Redmond (156,131) (136,731) (116,943) (108,398) (89,854) (72,603) (59,883) (27,253) Shoreline Fire (138,839) (129,993) (116,943) (107,187) (89,646) (75,370) (63,508) (28,903) Snoqualmie (12,569) (12,220) (11,172) (9,942) (8,381) (6,853) (5,976) (2,720) Snoqualmie Pass Fire & Rescue (4,852) (4,531) (3,740) (3,175) (2,978) (2,778) (2,259) (1,028) Woodinville Fire & Rescue (63,692) (59,701) (49,750) (35,854) (32,494) (26,029) (18,850) (8,579)

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Billable Calls for Service

The participating agencies provide the majority of operating revenue to NORCOM. The method of allocating this revenue source is defined in the Interlocal Agreement, Appendix A. NORCOM’s budget is allocated into two separate cost pools – 50% of the operating budget is allocated to police and 50% of the operating budget is allocated to fire. The 50/50 split was determined by an average of two factors – the staffing allocated to each charged operation (police or fire) and the volume of calls attributed to each charged operation.

The annual average billable calls for service are determined based on the number of billable calls for service for the charged operation over the two-year historical call calculation period. The call calculation period is defined at the first calendar quarter of the preceding budget year, and the seven calendar quarters preceding that.

Call Calculation Period

The percentages are applied to the current approved budget, less revenue from all other sources. Subscriber user fees are calculated at 106% of the user fee that an agency would pay if it were a principal.

Data consistent with business plan assumptions was used to determine cost allocations for the 2009 budget year. In 2008, until NORCOM went live in July of 2009, Calls for Service data was not available consistent with the ILA definition; mutual aid calls were counted and Advance Life Support (ALS) calls were charged to each agency involved in the call. After a year of significant analysis, the Governing Board approved Resolution 30 in June of 2010 amending the Calls for Service definition using the “one call, one bill” philosophy.

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Other Revenue The King County E-9-1-1 office collects excise taxes for wireline, wireless, and VoIP services. All Public Safety Answering Points (PSAP) in King County receive quarterly distributions from the King County E-9-1-1- office if call answering standards set by the office are met. These funds are used to help offset the cost of operations and are transferred to the operating fund as needed. The distribution for the last three years is summarized in the chart to the right. E-9-1-1 revenues have decreased due to the outdated wireline formula used to determine NORCOM’s portion. Over the years, phone usage has evolved from primarily wireline to primarily wireless service. This significant change has negatively impacted the way E-9-1-1 revenue is distributed.

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Cost Per Call

Beginning with the 2012 Annual Report, NORCOM began reporting on a national metric known as “Cost per Call.” This phrase is a term of art and must be distinguished from what is commonly referred to at NORCOM as “Cost per Call.” Historically, NORCOM has used this phrase to refer to the costs billed to agencies for dispatched calls. The national metric of “Cost per Call,” or CPC, is quite different and quite important particularly for evaluating center performance vis-à-vis other similar centers. CPC is a common measure of operational efficiency that is used throughout the spectrum of call centers from small to large. This metric also is commonly used to compare one center to another in benchmarking. CPC can simply be a labor cost per call, or it can be a fully loaded rate that includes wage rates in addition to telecommunications, facilities, and other costs. In determining how to calculate CPC, it is critical to define the variables used and to use them consistently in conducting comparisons with other centers or in evaluating how well the center is using financial resources over time. Although each center will have different equipment and software, each center is providing the same basic service. CPC therefore provides a measure of how efficient that center vis-à-vis other centers is with respect to its staffing as well as its maintenance and operations. Monitoring cost per call allows management to determine where to spend valuable funds on technology and process improvement, and to spot trends that necessitate further inquiry and action.

The Distinction Between Total Call Volume and Individual Call Types Call

In order to be an effective measure of call center efficiency, CPC must account for the total volume of calls handled by a communications center. As with all primary emergency communication centers, NORCOM handles a mix of emergency 9-1-1 calls and non-emergency calls. Call takers triage all these calls and route them according to established protocols and procedures. Thus, the use of total calls for CPC analysis is the best means to capture the entire call center workload and is therefore the most appropriate measure to include in CPC calculations as opposed to a focus on just 9-1-1 calls or just non-emergency calls. Singling out only one type of call does not provide a full assessment of a call center’s performance over time and does not provide for a full comparison to the entire operations of other centers. That said, NORCOM also analyses CPC for 9-1-1 calls as a secondary facet of its CPC analysis.

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The Distinction between “Cost per Call for Service” and “Cost per Call”

As mentioned in the opening paragraph on this topic, CPC must be distinguished from methodologies by which many multi-agency communication centers bill for their services. Often, such centers bill agencies based on “Calls for Service” or “Calls Dispatched” (the terms “calls for service” and “calls dispatched” are not always synonymous). In addition, all types of call centers report the number of “Calls for Service” or “Calls Dispatched” to the agencies they serve for those agencies’ use in their own reporting and analysis. Unfortunately, unlike CPC, there is no common agreement or universally accepted definition of what constitutes a “Call for Service.” For example, some centers define “Calls for Service” to be the sum total of all CAD entries made in response to 9-1-1 calls, traffic stops by police officers, and on-view incidents by police officers. Other centers may not include all these categories or may include other categories. For centers that both bill on a “Calls for Service” basis and also monitor performance and conduct comparative analysis based on “CPC,” it is important not to confuse the two or misunderstand the basic differences between them and their correct application. A key point is that “Calls for Service” are not a valid basis to conduct comparative analysis between call centers because of the lack of uniformity in how a call for service is defined. In 2015, NORCOM Telecommunicators handled 316,520 calls. Budgeted operating expenditures in were $11,803,681; therefore, NORCOM’s CPC for 2015 was $37.29.

Cost per Call 2011 2012 2013 2014 2015 Total Expenditures $10,664,946 $10,977,408 $10,740,449 $11,192,001 $11,803,681

Total Workload Calls 406,285 374,436 316,657 338,664 316,520

Cost per Call $26.25 $29.32 $33.92 $33.05 $37.29

NORCOM is working toward identifying cost centers for communications, administration and information technology services in order to better define CPC for the communications center. The 2011-2014 operating budget reported above is for NORCOM as a whole and includes all cost centers.

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2015 Accomplishments

o Worked with the finance committee to analyze user fee structure and provided

recommendations for future user fee structure options.

o Worked with the wellness committee to create and implement a wellness program that will qualify NORCOM to earn the AWC WellCity Award.

o Participated in the logging recorder request for proposal and contract negations

to purchase a logging recorder and QA system.

o Participated in RESOLVE training and contract negotiations with the NORCOM Associated Guild.

o Updated the financial code of ethics policy.

2016 Initiatives

o Monitor the operational needs of both police and fire/EMS stakeholders and the

impacts of the staffing model that has been adopted and funded in the operations budget.

o Continue work with Information Technology, Technology Committee, and Finance Committee to develop and implement Service Level Agreements between the agencies and NORCOM.

o Review purchasing policy and update as needed.

o Continue to track net available work hours for telecommunicators.

o Continue to work toward earning the AWC WellCity Award.

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NORCOM’s Information Technology (IT) department provides technology support, services and solutions to our Communication Center and participating Police, Fire and Emergency Medical Service agencies. With a continuing focus on maturing the IT business unit, 2015 efforts were directed at bringing existing systems current, strategic planning for infrastructure and project work, standardizing processes and procedures, updating documentation, and improving communication.

NORCOM IT takes pride in partnering with and servicing its agencies by implementing and supporting business focused technologies. IT services, processes and communications are driven by its mission statement and goals.

Mission Statement and Goals

The Information Technology mission is to deliver technology solutions and services to meet the needs of our communications center, police agencies, fire agencies and internal business units. Our goals include being able to:

o Exceed the expectations of our customers.

o Improve efficiencies through automation and the application of new technology.

o Provide responsive and proactive services to our public safety community.

o Continually improve on our quality of support, technical skills, processes and documentation.

o Collaborate with other public safety entities to provide additional value to our agencies and citizens.

INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY Dee Hathaway

425.577.5682

[email protected]

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Service and Support

IT supports NORCOM’s business units: 14 fire agencies and 5 police agencies. Support is provided through daily operations, new project implementations and maintenance of its infrastructure and systems. IT is responsible for a broad range of technologies and systems to support everything from the receipt of a 9-1-1 call to the Records Management Systems. Some of these systems are the 9-1-1 phone systems, two Computer Aided Dispatch (CAD) systems, police and fire mobile data computers (MDCs), police and fire records management systems, corrections, fire station alerting, radios, pagers, recordings and numerous interfaces. All critical systems have 24/7/365 IT support. Law enforcement, fire and medical services are rarely served in a silo, therefore IT works closely with outside agencies on regional projects and committees to further support its communications center, fire and police agencies.

Administration10% GIS

4%

Maintenance10%

Help Desk33%

Other18%

Projects25%

INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY

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2015 Accomplishments and Highlights

o Upgraded New World software suite from 10.0 to 10.2. o Upgraded TriTech from version 4.5 to version 5.5. o Replaced 43 TriTech dispatch computers that are at end of life and on an

unsupported operating system. The computer replacement fulfills the hardware requirement needed for the next fire CAD system upgrade.

o Implemented fire preplans in mobile data computers. o Built interfaces for the TriTech test environment to allow for end-to-end testing in new

versions of software. o Built Kirkland Police Inmate Query web site. o Upgraded Zoll Fire RMS. o Installed new locution systems at MIFD ST92, ESFD ST76 and ST88. o Developed an Inmate Tracking System for the City of Kirkland. o Implemented CJIS compliant 2-Factor Authentication system to provide a hosted

solution for police agencies needing access to CJIS data from unsecure/less secure locations.

o Built a new Fire CAD and Mobile Production environment to replace end-of-life servers and operating systems.

o Replaced eight end-of-life core network servers, consolidating into five servers. o Completed the replacement of the Storage Area Network (SAN). The new system

provided the following improvements: Database jobs run up to 75% faster. Data transfer speeds are 200-400% faster. Required rack space is 50% less.

o Expanded the Storage Area Network (SAN) to allow for improved performance, consolidation, and additional drive availability across both our test and productions environments.

o Upgraded the speed of the network backbone to 10 gigabytes, providing high-speed, redundant links between servers and switches.

o Installed and configured an Intrusion Detection appliance to increase the security of our network.

o Successfully filled the vacant IT Director position. o Successfully filled the vacant Applications Analyst position.


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Project Management

In 2015, NORCOM IT spent 25% of its focus towards Project related activities. Two members of the team were designated as Police and Fire systems supervisors to work directly with those agencies and better understand their operations, enabling IT to provide better service and support and ensure a higher level of project success. The following charts breaks down IT Project time for 2015.

Help Desk

For day-to-day issues and requests, NORCOM IT currently supports: 1,600+ supported users

254 police and fire mobile data computers 806 registered users in NOTIS

75+ NORCOM desktops/laptops

Users are able to submit issues and requests to NORCOM IT via phone, email or website, which we then track using NOTIS (NORCOM Online Ticket Issue System). In 2015, there were 3,066 new tickets opened / submitted, which was a 2% increase over 2014. The number of tickets closed in 2014 was 2,965; 97% of the number submitted.

TriTech System Upgrade

64%

New World 10.2x Upgrade

10%

Phone System Replacement

9%

Tritech Fire Mobile

9%Fire Pre-Plans

8%

Top 5 Projects by IT Effort

Fire60%

NORCOM25%

Police15%

Projects


http://notis.norcom.org/

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The NOTIS system was revamped in 2014 to incorporate feedback from our user satisfaction survey. Results of the survey led to less confusing menus, additional ways to report issues and drastically cut down the amount of emails people received. In addition, the NOTIS restructure was in preparation for eventual implementation of a service level agreement. Although a service level agreement has not yet been adopted, IT staff have started working and measuring against the performance measures outlined in the draft service level agreement.

2015 Help Desk Statistics

Non-Project Requests by Type Percent Problem 60% Request 39% Maintenance 1% Administrative (Non-Project Work) 0% Grand Total 100%

Non-Project Requests by Priority Percent 1 - Critical 0% 2 - Major 1% 3 - Important 22% 3 - On site 0% 4 - Desirable 74% 4 - On site 0% 5 - Low Impact Low Urgency 3% Grand Total 100%


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Geographic Information Systems Geographic Information System (GIS) data plays a critical part in the processing of 911 calls as the response starts with both the location of the incident and the available units. NORCOM GIS is committed to providing the most accurate GIS data possible to ensure that our first responders arrive at their call destinations in the timeliest manner possible. To accomplish this, NORCOM GIS works closely with our cities’ GIS and permitting departments, as well as regional agencies to obtain and incorporate the most up-to-date GIS data. NORCOM matches its address data against the King County E-911 address database to measure GIS data accuracy. For the police service area, the match rate is approximately 99.5% and the fire service area has a 95.5% match rate. A 2016 project to consolidate and use one geo-database for both CAD systems will bring the Fire service areas match rate to 99.5%. Some interesting facts:

• GIS currently supports and maintains geographic datasets for two CAD systems • Total Address points maintained: approx. 500,000 • Total road miles in NORCOM Boundary: approx. 8,000 • Total road miles: approximately 4,000 • Total number of map layer datasets maintained: 25


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Police Services

Total unique address points: 76,500 Total square miles: 62

Total road miles: 1,050


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Fire Services

Total unique address points: 215,500

Total square miles: 620 Total road miles: 4,038


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Staffing The IT business unit is authorized for 10 full-time employees that support, manage, maintain the day-to-day operational needs of its public safety users and the systems they use as well as to manage, implement and support new projects. In 2015, the IT Director position was filled by Dee Hathaway. Mr. Hathaway has nearly 30 years of experience in IT with the last dozen as IT Director for the City of Buckeye, Arizona. He is a certified Project Management Professional and has earned credentials from Microsoft, CompTIA and multiple other vendors. Mr. Hathaway holds a Bachelor’s Degree in Business – IT Management from Western Governor’s University. The position of Applications Analyst was filled by Andrew Johnson, a NORCOM employee for over five years. Prior to joining the IT Department, he worked as a telecommunicator and spent the last few years as a Subject Matter Expert (SME) with the IT department. Mr. Johnson currently serves public safety outside of NORCOM as a volunteer firefighter. He brings solid experience with both the technical and operational aspects of NORCOM as well as a background in radio operations and maintenance. Mr. Johnson is a graduate of Johnson and Wales University with a Bachelor’s Degree in Management.

from left: Karen Furuya, Nathan Way, Mike Prill, Khai Tran, Pete Luke, Ed Whitford, Zeb Middleton, Andrew Johnson and Simon Jenkins


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2016 IT Initiatives

o Replace the end-of-life primary virtual hosting servers. o Replace the end-of-life core infrastructure equipment. o Replace the wireless access points at our primary location. o Add wireless networking capabilities to the remote location. o Upgrade the core infrastructure to 10 gigabyte speed and the network backbone

to 40 gigabyte speed. o Consolidate mobile/cellular systems and budget to IT rather than being managed

by individual departments. o Implement a Mobile Device Management (MDM) solution and accompanying

policy. o In cooperation with the PIO, develop a Social Media policy. o Rebrand and enhance the CAD WebView application and formalize its update

and release processes. o Upgrade the Tyler Technology (New World) software suite. o Working with Northrup Grumman, complete the installation of the LInX (Legal

Information Network eXchange) application. o Implement the PulsePoint application (in cooperation with Seattle Fire and Medic

One Foundation). o Finish the upgrade of the eCBD (electronic Criteria Base Dispatch) system. o Finalize the development and implementation of the ESO interface with TriTech. o Implement NORCOM hosting of FirstWatch. o Investigate the feasibility of hosting the Code 3 simulator application for our Fire

agencies. o Consolidate two CAD geo-databases to provide data consistency between the

Police and Fire CAD systems and to streamline the maintenance of the GIS data. (carried over from 2015)

o Bellevue Fire mobile data computer replacement. (carried over from 2015) o Redmond Fire mobile data computer replacement. (carried over from 2015) o Eastside Fire and Rescue mobile data computer replacement. (carried over from

2015) o Continue to pursue Disaster Recovery/Business Continuity planning. o Continue development of a formal security program. o Continue development of the Project Management Office (PMO). o Continue to work with NORCOM Fire agencies in the development and

implementation of a Fire RMS Strategy. o Continue to review, develop and institute policies and procedures.


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Memberships and Committees NORCOM’s IT staff participate in a number of committees and memberships to collaborate with agencies and stay informed with what is happening in the region and the public safety and IT industries at large. This is in alignment with our goal to “collaborate with other public safety entities to provide additional value to our agencies and citizens.” A few are listed below.

• Association of Public-Safety Communications Officials (APCO) Community Connectivity Consortium. The Consortium coordinates, acquires, operates and manages the sharing and building of regional fiber connectivity between government agencies, hospitals, schools, universities and PSAPs.

• King County E-911 Technical/IT/Map Users’ Group. • National Emergency Number Association (NENA). • Public Safety Technology Committee (PSTC) Fiber/Wireless Subcommittee. This

subcommittee is the single interface between the participating cities and SERS in developing /discussing fiber connectivity between King and Snohomish counties.

• Puget Sound Regional Interoperability Executive Committee (PSR-IEC) Committee. The PSR-IEC is a three-county organization chartered by the UASI Core Group to plan improvements to public safety communications networks in the UASI area.

• PSAP CAD Interoperability Subcommittee. • Project Management Institute (PMI). • New World Northwest Regional Users Group. • New World Mobile Advisory Group. • New World Law Enforcement Records Advisory Group.


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NORCOM has established an Employee Recognition Committee to determine and coordinate methods for recognition of all team members.

Five Years of Service Award

Seven NORCOM employees were recognized in 2015 for 5 years of employment with NORCOM. Honored were Telecommunicators Julie Smith, Tammie Oien, Josh Baker, Skip DeHennis, Dottie Olson, and Kenny Solberg, Team Supervisor Josh Baker, and IT Member Andrew Johnson. Not all of our team members were able to attend board meetings for presentations. Coins and certificates were presented later to them. A five year recognition coin was presented to those reaching this milestone.

Josh BakerTeam Supervisor

Julie SmithTelecommunicator

The Five Year Coin

RECOGNITION: Five Year Coin

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In April 2015, the following Annual Awards were presented at the Principal’s Assembly.

RECOGNITION: 2014 Annual Awards

Margaux Lallas Emergency Medical Dispatcher of the Year

Exemplary Handling of an EMS Incident Presented by Amy Warrior, King County EMS

Angel Francois Emergency Medical Dispatcher of the Year

Sustained Exemplary Performance

Josh Baker Supervisor of the Year

(Presented by nominator Sheryl Mullen)

Charlene Inman Administrative Employee of the Year (Presented by nominator Gwen Pilo)

Jessica Cannon Telecommunicator of the Year

(Presented by nominator Becky McCracken)

Zeb Middleton IT Member of the Year

(Presented by nominator Sheryl Mullen)

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Members of the TriTech Mobile Upgrade Team accepting the 2014 Team Award

Roky Louie Edison Award Winner

(Presented by Tom Orr)

Roky Louie 2014 Edison Award Winner

(presented by Tom Orr)

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Throughout 2015, recognition cards were received for NORCOM team members. These came from fellow NORCOM personnel as well as participating agency personnel. Employees of the Quarter were selected from those recognition cards. The 2015 Employees of the Quarter were recognized at Governing Board and Joint Operations Board meetings.

Employees of the 1st Quarter

Employees of the 2nd Quarter

RECOGNITION: C.A.R.E.S.

Andrew Johnson, IT Not pictured: Telecommunicator Tammie Oien

(from left) Mike Prill and Nathan Way of IT; Telecommunicator/CTO Jami Hoppen; Supervisor Josh Baker.

Not pictured: Marla Smithhisler from Administration.

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RECOGNITION: C.A.R.E.S.

Employees of the 3rd Quarter

(from left): Karen Furuya, IT; Telecommunicator/ CTO Becky McCracken; Supervisor Josh Baker.

Not pictured: Telecommunicator/CTO Dottie Olson; Charlene Inman from Administration.

Employees of the 4th Quarter

(from left) Ed Whitford, IT; Roky Louie, Supervisor. Not pictured: Telecommunicator Jeremy Henshaw and

Keith Polzin from Administration.

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WA APCO-NENA ANNUAL AWARDS

Presented at Public Safety Training Conference Kennewick, WA June 2015

NORCOM had two team members recognized as Washington State Annual Award winners. Telecommunicator Jessica Cannon has been with NORCOM since July 1, 2009. Her nomination included information about her participation on NORCOM’s Tactical Dispatch Team, WA APCO-NENA’s TERT Team (including participation in a September 2014 training exercise in South Bend, WA), NORCOM’s Employee Recognition Team, Mentorship Program, participation in the creation of NORCOM’s Active Shooter scenario drill, and leadership with NORCOM’s police and fire appreciation activities. She is an excellent telecommunicator and a person who demonstrates NORCOM’s cultural values of Cooperation, Accountable, Respectful, Excellent, and Supportive.

RECOGNITION: WA APCO-NENA AWARDS

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IT Member Zeb Middleton has been with NORCOM since August 2013. His nomination included information about his commitment to understanding technology needs from an operations perspective. He was also recognized for his work with King County E9-1-1 coordinating upgrades, replacements, and development of roll-back options. He is responsible for the maintenance, optimizing, and modernization of the in frastructure in NORCOM’s server room. His nomination included details about his participation in operations exercises and sitting with Telecommunicators to better understand their technology needs and how they use the systems. As one of a team of IT staff working on the various technology needs, Zeb responds 24/7/365 and demonstrates NORCOM’s cultural values in his efforts to do his job while reducing the impact on others. Zeb was unable to attend the ceremony so Jessica (above) posed with his award.

NORCOM conference attendees posed with the traveling and individual plaques at the awards banquet. From left: Jami Hoppen, Becky McCracken, Jessica Cannon, Skip DeHennis, Sheryl Mullen, Kenny Solberg and Cory James (kneeling)

RECOGNITION: WA APCO-NENA AWARDS

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Building on the success of the 5 Year Celebration in 2014, NORCOM hosted a “Bring Your Family and Dogs BBQ” on August 9, 2015. The event was co-sponsored by the Employee Recognition Committee & NORCOM On Track (Wellness Committee). Activities included a potluck, best side dish & dessert competition, watermelon eating contest, games, and social time away from work.

NORCOM Family Picnic

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Annual awards for 2015 will be presented at the 2016 Principal’s Assembly/Governing Board meeting.

King County Emergency Medical Services Emergency Medical Dispatchers of the Year

Nominations for these awards are submitted by NORCOM and are selected by the King County Dispatch Review Committee (DRC). This committee, made up of fire personnel, dispatch center representatives, and King County Medic One staff, reviews the nominations and makes the selection.

King County Emergency Medical Dispatcher of the Year For Sustained Exemplary Performance

Krystal McCoy Krystal has been with NORCOM since it began and was previously a part of Eastside Communications for some time. She sets the bar for good customer service and has an attitude that exemplifies our C.A.R.E.S. values. In part, her nomination stated that she is “so compassionate and patient with callers. She has excellent customer service skills and has a definite skill of being able to calm down agitated callers. She is truly an excellent example of what all call receivers should strive for.”

King County Emergency Medical Dispatcher of the Year Exemplary Handling of a Critical Incident

Chris Perez

Chris has been with NORCOM since 2013 and received this award for a medical call involving a 14 year old patient in cardiac arrest. He provided telephone CPR instructions to her 14 year old friends located on a hiking trail. Chris not only handled this call well, but represented NORCOM with utmost professionalism when spoken with by the fire department, city council, and media. In part, his nomination stated “It is certain that without Chris’s swift action, effective call screening, and comforting tone, this call may have had a less desirable outcome. As it was, the patient was tended to by units on scene (who confirmed she was in cardiac arrest), and transported to Children’s Hospital where she made a full recovery.”


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Top Row: Elizabeth Thomas - Telecommunicator of the Year

Roky Louie – Supervisor of the Year

2nd Row: Karen Furuya – IT Employee of the Year Sheryl Mullen – Administrative Employee of the Year Kenny Solberg – Edison Award for Ingenuity

NORCOM Annual Awards

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Operations Leadership Team

(From left: Josh Baker, Melissa Crawford, Katy Gilbert, Sandy Hogue, Cory James, Amanda Kolling and Roky Louie)

TriTech CAD Upgrade Team (From left: Josh Baker, Karen Furuya, Jami Hoppen, Simon Jenkins, Andrew Johnson, Pete Luke,

Zeb Middleton, Mike Prill, Khai Tran, Nathan Way and Ed Whitford)

NORCOM Teams of the Year

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NORCOM Telecommunicators are trained to provide pre-arrival instructions for a variety of incident types including childbirth and CPR.

King County Emergency Medical Services provides Lifesaver Coins for call receivers who provide CPR instructions over the phone contributing to patients surviving that critical event. 21 NORCOM call receivers received this recognition for calls received in 2015.

When call receivers provide instructions to aid in childbirth over the phone, they are recognized with a Stork pin and certificate. Three Call Receivers were recognized for the roll they played in delivering a baby over the phone in 2015. The parents of the baby receive a special bib and congratulatory card from NORCOM.

Call Type Recognition

Traci Darcy Lifesaver Award

Dave Stuby and Paula Burns Lifesaver Awards

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Appreciation Days

NORCOM recognizes team members from multiple business units throughout the year. National Public Safety Telecommunicator Appreciation Week in April, Tech Team Appreciation Day in July, Supervisor Appreciation Day in October, and Administrative Staff Appreciation Day in April. These events include a small gift and a meal.

Appreciation Days

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NORCOM

2017 Proposed Budget Policy

Discussion Paper

April 8, 2016

NORCOM’s budget process is part of an overall policy framework that guides the services and functions of the agency. The budget serves a key role by allocating financial resources to the programs, which implement NORCOM’s mission and core values. The budget also establishes financial policies to influence the availability of future resources that continue to carry out NORCOM’s mission and core values.

Budget Policy development involves several steps. NORCOM budget policy starts with an understanding of service levels and issues impacting operations. NORCOM’s management team evaluates performance measures to assess organizational costs and effectiveness, and determine issues impacting 2017 operating priorities and the level of funding for each. Budget policies are statements that describe how financial resources will be obtained, allocated, managed, and controlled.

NORCOM’s mission statement and core values are the broad policy statements that outline the objectives of the Governing Board. Budget objectives are policy statements summarizing the actions that are to be implemented in the budget.

Financial Management Policies

The following policies will guide the manner in which NORCOM develops, allocates, manages and controls financial resources available to the agency. These policies are the goals that the Governing Board seeks to achieve in its decision making and most are documented in NORCOM’s Standard Operating Procedures. However, since fiscal conditions and circumstances continually shift and change in response to operating needs, it may not be practical or always desirable to

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continually achieve these policies. Therefore, these policies are intended to guide, not govern, financial decision making and may not be fully achieved within any budget period.

General Financial Goals

• To provide a financial base sufficient to sustain consistent high quality emergency service communications to the public for emergency medical services, fire and police by receiving calls for service; dispatching resources, tracking and coordinating information flow and resources, initiating records for all emergency events, and enhancing effectiveness, efficiency, coordination and interoperability of emergency service providers.

• To be able to withstand local and regional economic hardships sustained by our participating and subscribing agencies and adjust to changes in their service level requirements.

Operating Budget Policies

• The operating budget is NORCOM’s comprehensive financial plan which provides for the level of services prescribed by the Participating Agencies, including additional services or new programs as approved in subsequent years. A new budget will be adopted every year as a result of a comprehensive process incorporating any newly approved programs, inflationary increases, and other expenses. New programs will be analyzed by the Executive Director and Finance Manager before being presented to the Finance Committee and the Joint Operating Board for their analysis and review and, if approved, incorporated into the budget. No “one-time” expenses will be carried forward into subsequent budgets without specific authority.

• NORCOM defines a balanced budget as current annual revenues (including fund balances) being equal to or greater than current annual expenditures.

• All current operating expenditures will be paid from current revenues and cash carried over from the prior year. Current revenues and operating expenditures will be reviewed quarterly during the year. It is the policy of

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NORCOM to attempt to utilize beginning balances and other one-time revenues for one-time/non-recurring expenditures only.

• All supplemental appropriations for programs requested after the original budget is adopted, will only be approved by the Governing Board after consideration of the availability of revenues.

• NORCOM will maintain revenue and expenditure categories according to state statute and administrative regulation.

Revenue Policies:

• “Other” Revenues (E911 funds, KCEMS funds, etc.) shall be realistically estimated and based upon the most recent information available.

• NORCOM will seek to avoid dependence on temporary or unstable revenues to fund ongoing mission critical services.

• Grant funds or similar contractual revenue of a temporary nature will be budgeted only if they are committed at the time of the preliminary budget. Otherwise, separate appropriations will be made during the year as grants are awarded or contracts made.

Expenditure Policies:

• The NORCOM budget will provide for a sustainable level of service for the well-being of employees and safety of the emergency service providers.

• Expenditures approved by the Governing Board in the annual budget define NORCOM’s spending limits for the upcoming year. In addition to legal requirements, NORCOM will maintain an operating philosophy of cost control and responsible financial management.

• The Governing Board will be provided with a discussion paper for any new program detailing the expenditure, the recommended funding source, an analysis of the fiscal impact and a review of all reserves and previously approved amendments since budget adoption.

• Emphasis is placed on improving individual and work group productivity rather than adding to the work force. NORCOM will invest in technology and other efficiency tools to maximize productivity. NORCOM will request

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additional staff only after the need of such positions has been demonstrated and documented.

Capital Projects

• NORCOM will maintain all its assets at an acceptable level to protect capital investment and to minimize future maintenance and replacement costs.

• NORCOM will conduct an equipment replacement and maintenance needs analysis, using a cash flow method, for the next several years and will update this projection every two years. From this projection a maintenance and replacement schedule will be developed and followed.

• NORCOM will identify the estimated costs and potential funding sources for each capital project proposal before it is submitted for approval.

• NORCOM will coordinate development of the Capital Projects budget with development of the operating budget. Future operating costs associated with new capital project will be projected and included in operating budget forecasts.

Operating Reserves and Contingency:

• Per section 12h of the ILA, each budget year the Governing Board shall set the Operating Expense Reserve at a level that ensures funds are on hand to reasonably address unforeseen operating contingencies. NORCOM currently maintains an Operating Expense Reserve at a level equal to 5% of the total Operating Budget. For the purpose of determining Operating Expense Reserve funding, the Governing Board defines the Operating Budget as the operating fund expenses less salaries, benefits, and onetime expenses.

• Capital Equipment Replacement will be fully funded according to the cash flow schedule to minimize large increases in User Fees from year to year resulting from acquisition or replacement of capital, and to fund the timely replacement of aging technology, equipment and systems.

• The Rate Stabilization Fund shall not exceed 10% of current Operating Fund Revenues. The amount in the fund shall be analyzed to determine the long-

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term effect on rates. If it is determined that funds will be used to offset transition to higher rates or fund onetime expenditures the designated amount shall be applied to the overall budget prior to calculating assessments.

• All expenditures drawn from reserve accounts shall require prior Board approval unless previously authorized for expenditure in the annual budget.

Accounting, Auditing, and Financial Reporting Policies

• NORCOM will establish and maintain a high standard of accounting practices.

• Accounting and budgetary systems will, at all times, conform to Generally Accepted Accounting Principles, the State of Washington Budgeting Accounting Reporting System (BARS) and local regulations.

• A comprehensive accounting system will be maintained to provide all financial information necessary to effectively operate NORCOM.

• NORCOM’s budget documents shall be presented in a format that provides for logical comparison with prior annual actual totals wherever possible.

• Reports outlining the status of revenues and expenditures shall be done monthly beginning in March of each year and will be distributed to the Governing Board, Joint Operations Board, Executive Director, Finance Committee, Department managers and any other interested party.

• An annual audit will be performed by the State Auditor’s Office.

Budget Calendar

• In order to facilitate and implement the budget process the Finance Manager will develop and distribute a budget calendar.

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Issues impacting the 2017 Budget

• NORCOM is approaching the development of the 2017 budget using a zero based budget strategy and performance measurement tools to insure that all costs are validated and justified.

• Staff recommends the 2017 budget process address the following issues: o Facilitation of a Strategic Plan o TriTech/New World CAD interface and/or a future CAD Solution o Research new facility relocation funding options o 2016 Pilot Reorganization o Development of an Accreditation plan o Implementation of ILA changes o User Fee implementation o PSEU #519 negotiations o Website redesign o Update the Command Control Viewing System o Research and review of a Public Records Portal o Continue to participate in the E-911 Regional Governance structure

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2017 BUDGET CALENDAR

JANUARY Executive Director presents Budget Policy to Joint Op. Board/ILA 12(b) January 28 MARCH Joint Operating Board transmits policies to principals/ILA 12(b) March 7 APRIL Joint Ops Board presents proposed budget policy at Principles Assembly/ILA 8 April 8 MAY Principals Assembly provides review and comment to Governing Board by May 1 Governing Board adopts budget policy/ILA 12(b) May 13 Budget development complete by May 31 JUNE Executive Director presents preliminary budget to Joint Op. Board/ILA 12(c) June 23 User Fee updates complete June 30 AUGUST Proposed budget transmitted to Governing Board/ILA 12(c) by August 1 Public hearing & budget approval by Governing Board/ILA 12(c) August 12

SEPTEMBER Participating agencies advised of 2017 budget and user fees/ILA 12(c) by September 5 DECEMBER Approval by the legislative authorities of each Principal/Subscriber/ILA 12(c) by Dec. 8 Governing Board adopts final budget/ILA 12(c) December 10

Documents

NORCOM Principals Assembly PA Packet 2016.pdf · The NORCOM Principals Assembly was called to order by Kurt ... Telecommunicator Emergency Response Team. The challenges faced by NORCOM