The Metropolitan Government of Nashville and Davidson County
Freddie O'Connell, Mayor
Executive Order 31
Subject: Emergency Radio Management Committee
WHEREAS, the Metropolitan Government and the Nashville Electric Service (N.E.S.) embarked on a project to purchase, construct and operate an 800 MHZ trunked radio system (the “System”) to improve emergency dispatch and response throughout Davidson County; and
WHEREAS, even though the digital radio technology in the System provides greater radio bandwidth, the licenses issued to the Metropolitan Government by the Federal Communications Commission provide only a limited radio bandwidth to the Metropolitan Government; and
WHEREAS, in order to utilize the System to its fullest potential and preserve its availability for emergency use, the Metropolitan Government must efficiently manage and control access to the System; and
WHEREAS, in December, 1997, the Metropolitan Government and Nashville Electric Service entered into a Memorandum of Understanding that included a provision for a joint committee to manage the access to and operation of the 800 MHZ trunked radio system.
NOW, THEREFORE, I, Freddie O’Connell, Mayor of the Metropolitan Government of Nashville and Davidson County, by virtue of the power and authority vested in me, do hereby find, direct, and order the following:
1. There is a Metropolitan Government Emergency Radio Management Committee for the Metropolitan Government of Nashville and Davidson County.
2. The membership of the Metropolitan Government Emergency Radio Management Committee shall be as follows:
a. The Director of Information Technology Services, or his or her designee;
b. A representative selected by N.E.S.;
c. The Chief of Police, or his or her designee;
d. The Fire Chief, or his or her designee;
e. The Purchasing Agent, or his or her designee;
f. The Director of General Services, or his or her designee;
g. The Nashville Sheriff, or his or her designee;
h. The Director of Nashville Department of Transportation and Multimodal Infrastructure, or his or her designee;
i. The Director of Water Services, or his or her designee;
j. The Director of Parks & Recreation, or his or her designee;
k. The Director of the Office of Emergency Management, or his or her designee;
l. The Director of the Department of Emergency Communications, or his or her designee;
3. The Police Department, Fire Department, Department of Emergency Communications and N.E.S. are expected to be the major users of the System. Information Technology Services will have the major operating and maintenance responsibilities for the System. Therefore, these five (5) agencies will be the lead agencies on the Committee and shall have two (2) votes each. The other named Metro agencies represented on the Committee shall have one (1) vote each. Non-Metro agencies participating on the System will not have a vote but are encouraged to send a representative to attend the committee meetings.
4. The Director of Information Technology Services, or his or her designee, shall serve as Chair. The Committee shall select a Vice Chairman from another agency who will serve for a term of one (1) year. The Committee shall adopt any additional rules for internal governance it deems necessary. The staff services to the Committee will be provided by the Department of Information Technology Services.
5. The mission of the Metropolitan Government Emergency Radio Management Committee is as follows:
a. Develop and implement guidelines for the allocation of effective and efficient use of the System, including the loading and development for all users.
b. Review and disseminate the annual recommendations provided by the Director of Finance that relate to a fair and proportionate rate structure by which to assess each user for the recovery of maintenance and operating costs of the System.
c. Provide long-range planning for the continued operation of the System.
d. Consider, review, make recommendations for, and resolve all requests for system access or connection.
Ordered, Effective and Issued: January 17, 2024
Freddie O’Connell
Metropolitan County Mayor