Staff Report
City Council
Item No. 5.A
Meeting Date: October 14, 2026
From: Jan De Guzman, Chief Technology Officer
Title: Security Cameras and Dispatch Alert System
RECOMMENDATION:
To approve the city hall security camera improvements, including the purchase of security camera equipment, associated wiring, and installation services, at a cost of $43,525.59, and approve the dispatch alerting improvements, including the equipment, installation, and programming, at a cost of $67,803.17. Staff further recommends City Council authorize a 20% contingency in the amount of $22,265.75 to address unforeseen conditions, additional materials, or other project-related costs that may arise during implementation; and approve a General Fund budget amendment for a total project appropriation of $133,594.51.
BACKGROUND:
This staff report presents two separate projects intended to address existing security and emergency communication needs at city facilities: (1) Security Camera Improvements and (2) Dispatch Alerting Improvements. Although the projects are separate and address different operational needs, both are intended to enhance the staff’s ability to respond to and manage security and emergency situations.
Security Camera Improvements: There is currently a surveillance camera system at the Civic Center, owever, the existing system does not provide complete coverage of the exterior areas of the facilities, resulting in gaps where activity may not be captured. These coverage limitations can make it difficult for staff and law enforcement personnel to review and investigate incidents occurring around city hall and the police department.
Dispatch Alerting Improvements: The city also currently has emergency alert buttons installed in city hall and the police department. When an emergency button is activated, the existing system provides an indication at dispatch; however, the current alert does not identify the specific button or location from which the alert originated. As a result, dispatch personnel must obtain additional information to determine the location of the emergency.
The proposed improvements are intended to address these separate operational limitations by expanding exterior surveillance coverage and improving the ability of dispatch personnel to immediately identify the location of an activated emergency alert.
DISCUSSION:
Security Camera Improvements
The proposed solution will consist of installing multiple surveillance cameras at strategic locations on the exterior of the Civic Center where additional coverage is needed. The cameras and associated wiring and materials will be purchased separately, while the installation of the cameras and the installation and routing of the required wiring will be performed by a technical installer based on a labor quote. The project will also include the necessary equipment configuration, programming, and integration of the new cameras with the City's existing surveillance system. The cameras will be strategically positioned to address existing coverage gaps and provide improved visibility of key exterior areas, including building entrances, walkways, access points, and other areas surrounding city hall and the police department. Where appropriate, camera locations will provide overlapping views to improve overall coverage of the facility.
The current surveillance system does not provide sufficient coverage of all exterior areas of the Civic Center, resulting in areas where activity may not be captured on video. For example, the city recently experienced an incident where the existing camera system was unable to capture the area from which individuals involved in the incident approached the property. As a result, staff did not have sufficient video information to determine where the individuals came from or establish their movements prior to the incident. This incident highlighted the limitations of the city's existing exterior camera coverage and the need for additional visibility around the facility.
The proposed improvements will provide more comprehensive exterior surveillance coverage and additional recorded video for use by authorized city staff and law enforcement personnel when reviewing incidents. The expanded coverage will help document activity before, during, and after an incident, including the direction from which individuals or vehicles approach and leave the facility. This additional information can assist with incident review and investigation and improve situational awareness around city facilities.
The new cameras will be integrated with the city's existing surveillance infrastructure, allowing authorized personnel to access and review video through the city's existing system.
By expanding the existing camera network rather than creating a separate surveillance system, the project will enhance the city's current security capabilities and make use of existing infrastructure to the extent practicable.
Dispatch Alerting Improvements
The proposed dispatch alerting system will be provided by U.S. Digital Designs, the same vendor that installed the city's existing dispatch/fire station alerting system currently in use at the city's fire stations. The proposed solution will build upon the city's existing alerting infrastructure and will include the installation of LCD text displays at dispatch, audio alerting capabilities, emergency alert buttons at designated city facilities, associated wiring, a controller for the emergency alert buttons, and the necessary programming and system integration. The new equipment will be integrated with the existing dispatch/fire station alerting system to allow emergency alerts from City Hall and Police Department areas to be communicated directly to Dispatch.
Under the existing system, when an emergency button is activated, a blue indicator light is displayed at Dispatch. However, the current system does not identify which emergency button was activated or the specific location of the alert. Because multiple emergency buttons use the same indicator color, Dispatch personnel must obtain additional information to determine the location of the emergency. This limitation may delay the ability of Dispatch personnel to immediately identify where assistance is needed.
With the proposed system, when an emergency button is activated, the LCD text display at dispatch will identify the specific location of the activated button. In addition, an audible voice alert will announce the location of the activated button. Providing both visual and audible notification will allow dispatch personnel to immediately identify the location of the alert and provide responding personnel with more specific information regarding where the emergency originated.
The proposed improvements will provide a more informative and efficient method of communicating emergency alerts to dispatch while enhancing the city's existing emergency notification infrastructure. By providing the specific location of an activated emergency button, the system will reduce the need for dispatch personnel to determine the source of an alert through additional communication and will provide responding personnel with more immediate and accurate location information. The integration with the existing dispatch/fire station alerting system will also allow the new alerting capabilities to operate as part of the City's existing alerting infrastructure.
Vendor Selection
The cameras and associated equipment are proposed to be purchased from CDW-G under the Sourcewell cooperative purchasing contract. Sourcewell is a government cooperative purchasing program that competitively solicits and awards contracts for participating public agencies. As CDW-G is an awarded Sourcewell contract vendor, the City may purchase the equipment through the existing competitively procured cooperative purchasing agreement without obtaining three additional quotes.
For the installation and wiring, the Facilities Department recommended an electrical contractor familiar with the City's facilities and the requirements of the project. As part of the vendor selection process, staff obtained a comparison quote from another vendor. The alternate vendor's quote was more than twice the cost of the recommended contractor's quote. Based on the comparison, staff determined that the recommended contractor provided a more cost-effective price for the required installation work.
USDD is proposed as the sole source for the dispatch alert system because the City's existing dispatch alerting system at all Fire Stations is a USDD system. The proposed project will expand the existing system to include City Hall and associated dispatch functionality.
Continuing with USDD will maintain compatibility and integration with the City's existing system and avoid implementing a separate dispatch alerting platform.
USDD's proposed pricing is based on the Master Price Agreement between the League of Oregon Cities (LOC) and USDD, which is available for use by eligible members of National Purchasing Partners, LLC (NPP), including its Public Safety GPO, Law Enforcement GPO, and NPPGov programs. The pricing is provided under Contract No. PS26480. This agreement establishes contract pricing for USDD products and services and provides an established purchasing vehicle for eligible participating agencies. Contract information is available through NPPGov.
FISCAL IMPACT:
• Security Camera equipment, wiring, and installation will cost $43,525.59. • Dispatch Alerting System equipment, install and programming will cost $67,803.17. • A 20% contingency cost of $22,265.75 to address uncertainties that may arise during the project.
• The total cost of the project is $133,594.51. A budget amendment is required to fund the project from the General Fund account.
• The new surveillance cameras include a 5-year license, so no yearly software subscription is required at this time.
• The dispatch alerting solution includes a 1-year warranty and support. After the initial year, warranty and support renewal is estimated at $3,746.30 per year. • The equipment costs may be capitalized in the Equipment Replacement Fund (611).
Security Camera Project Dispatch Alerting Project
Items Cost Items Cost
Cameras and licenses $ 36,589.83 USDD $ 67,803.17
Installation $ 5,381.50 Contingency @ 20% $ 13,560.63
Wiring $ 1,554.26 TOTAL $ 81,363.80
SUB TOTAL $ 43,525.59
Contingency @ 20% $ 8,705.12
TOTAL $ 52,230.71
DESCRIPTION GENERAL
LEDGER
ACCOUNT
CODES
PROJECT
CODE
AMOUNT ONE TIME or
ONGOING
2026-2027 Security Camera 100-100-130-
142-8XXX-8XXX M03014 52,230.71 ONE TIME
2026-2027 Dispatch Alerting 100-100-130-
142-8XXX-8XXX M03014 81,363.80 ONE TIME
2026-2027 Total $ 133,594.51
FIVE-YEAR STRATEGIC PLAN:
INNOVATION D-3 - Work with operations staff to identify, implement and support the implementation of technology solutions to bolster IT security and improve operational, analytical, and management functions.
SAFETY E-2 - Continue to explore and utilize technology to promote public safety.
ATTACHMENTS:
1. Security Cameras quote
2. Wiring quote
3. Security Camera install quote
4. USDD Dispatch Alert quote