MCS Newsletter

The August Member and Chapter Services Newsletter has been posted at http://www.ksapco.org/MCS_Newsletter.html.

KCJIS Minutes

Minutes of the July KCJIS Committee meeting can be found at http://www.ksapco.org/KCJIS.html.

911 Coordinating Council meetings

From Scott Ekberg, 911 Coordinating Council Liaison - The 911 Coordinating Council will be having a Pre-bid Conference for the Consulting Services RFP, tomorrow at 10:00.  The meeting is not an open meeting, however the announcement is being published to communicate that the meeting is occurring.

A second meeting to formulate responses to bidder questions for the RFP will be held from 1430 to 1630 on August 19 at the Landon State Office Building, 900 SW Jackson, Rm 751A in Topeka.  This meeting is open to guests.

Adjutant General’s Department names Interoperability Coordinator

By Sharon Watson, Director, Public Affairs, Kansas Adjutant General's Department -The Kansas Adjutant General’s Department announces the selection of Jason Bryant, Wichita, as the Statewide Interoperability Coordinator. The position in the department’s Directorate of Information Technology, Office of Emergency Communications, coordinates communications interoperability issues and resources as they pertain to public safety within the state. 

Bryant will be responsible for maintenance of the Statewide Communications Interoperability Plan, working with all agencies and jurisdictions within the state on interoperability issues, prioritizing and providing training on interoperable communications; making technology, process and policy recommendations; representing Kansas to outside entities on matters of communications interoperability and administration of applicable grants.  The SWIC is the lead position in the Office of Emergency Communications and supports the administrative requirements of the Statewide Interoperable Executive Committee.

Bryant has been with the Adjutant General’s Department since April 2013 and was previously employed by the Kansas Department of Transportation.  Since 2005 he has overseen the operation of the state’s deployable Communications on Wheels emergency response communications equipment.  In 2013 this equipment was transferred to the Adjutant General’s Department.  Bryant will continue to oversee this program in his new capacity.

Questions may be directed to Col. Chris Stratmann, chief information officer, Kansas Adjutant General’s Department at (785) 274-1031.

Fall Conference coming

From Lance Royer - The 2013 Kansas APCO Fall Regional Conference is scheduled for Sunday-Tuesday, October 20-22, at the Ramada Topeka Downtown Hotel and Convention Center at 420 S. E. 6^th Avenue in Topeka, hosted by the Shawnee County Sheriff’s Office.

During the day on Monday and Tuesday, October 21-22, the conference will feature educational presentations on a variety of topics related to emergency services communications.  In addition,  a traditional “meet and greet” registration and social gathering will be Sunday evening, October 20, and the all-conference social hour and banquet, followed by entertainment, will be Monday evening, October 21. 

Kansas APCO Board elections are held at each fall regional conference.  Any Kansas APCO member can run for office.  This year, open positions include Second Vice President, Executive Council Representative, Executive Committee Person/Vendor Liaison, and the Secretary/Treasurer.   Duties and responsibilities of each position are detailed in the Kansas Chapter of APCO Bylaws, which can be accessed on this website under 

http://www.ksapco.org/Election_of_Officers.html.

  Anyone interested in running for a position on the Kansas APCO Board can email Capt. Lance Royer, Kansas APCO Board Past President, at lance.royer@snco.us.

Further conference details will be posted soon.

Grant applications closed

By Kim Pennington, KSAPCO President - The deadline for the 911 grant applications closed on Monday, July 1.  The KAC reports that it received the following grant applications:

·         Anderson

·         Colby
·         Cowley
·         Kingman
·         Marshall
·         Mitchell
·         Republic
·         Rice
·         Sherman
·         South Central Regional
·         6-County GIS Collaboration (GH, OB, PL, RO, RS, SM)
·         6-County Equipment Collaboration (see above)
·         6- County NG911 Collaboration (CS, CF, GT, GW, LY, MR, WO)

If you think you submitted a grant application and it is not listed, contact Melissa Wangemann at KAC immediately, 785-272-2585, Ext 307 or wangemann@kansascounties.org

The Grants Review Committee will meet to consider awarding grants on Friday, July 12 at 10:00 a.m., First National Center, #1 North Main, Suite 700, Hutchinson, KS.  The meeting is open to the public.

 

Upcoming Meetings Announced

The 911 Coordinating Council has announced several upcoming meetings to be held this month and in August.

On July 11, the Technical Sub-Committee will be meeting at 13:00hrs in Topeka.

On July 12, the Grant Review Committee will be meeting in Hutchinson at 10:00hrs.

On August 9 at 09:00hrs, the Administration, Operations, and Technical Committees will meet in Topeka, and at 11:00hrs, the 911 Coordinating Council will met as a whole.

All meetings are on the Calendar of Events at www.ksapco.org.

For more information, contact the 911 Coordinating Council Liaison Scott Ekberg at scott.a.ekberg.nfg@mail.mil.