Interoperable communicationOregon’s new budget may kill interoperability system

Published 9 February 2011

The goal of the $600 million Oregon Wireless Interoperability Network (OWIN) project is to design and construct a reliable public safety radio system for emergency responders, comply with the FCC’s 2013 deadline to transition state radios, consolidate four existing independent state radio systems, and create a network that all public safety radio users in Oregon can access; the governor proposes to halt the project for lack of money

Governor John Kitzhaber (D-Oregon) has proposed budget cuts that would temporarily halt and possibly jeopardize the $600 million Oregon Wireless Interoperability Network (OWIN). The state project plans to design and construct a reliable public safety radio system for emergency responders, comply with the FCC’s 2013 deadline to transition state radios, consolidate four existing independent state radio systems, and create a network that all public safety radio users in Oregon can access.

On its current course, Oregon is literally on a death spiral,” Kitzhaber told about 1,000 business, political and community leaders at the 9th annual Oregon Business Summit which brings together the state’s decision-makers, lobbyists, and community leaders.

The main problem, which Kitzhaber and a number of other speakers outlined, is that the demand for government help caused by the recession and an aging population has hindered the state’s ability to pay. On top of it all, wages are dipping below the national average by a disconcerting amount

The existing OWIN project called for building or refurbishing nearly 300 radio towers, many on remote mountaintops across Oregon. As proposed, the new system would be “interoperable,” beaming signals that any public safety agency in Oregon could someday use.

Kitzhaber spokesman Tim Raphael said the governor is not reversing the state’s policy to seek interoperable public safety radio systems, nor has Kitzhaber decided what happens to the OWIN project after the 2011-13 budget.

That’s a decision that hasn’t been made,” Raphael said Thursday. “The decision for this coming biennium is that we’re halting the project.”

The project has not had a smooth run so far, and the budget halt could make it difficult to revive the project.

In December, the Oregonian reported that OWIN officials mislead the legislature, local leaders, and governor at the time, Ted Kulongoski (D-Oregon) to win funding for the project. As a result of the false claims in savings, the project grew from $414 million to $586 million, along with a two year delay bumping up costs.

Peter van den Berg, OWIN’s strategic planning manager, said the plan underlying the governor’s budget is “a little bit of a backside of a napkin approach.” He said the proposal has not yet been vetted to see if its costs are accurate and its engineering assumptions are sound.

Rep. Nancy Nathanson (D-Eugene), a supporter of the interoperable system, hopes that the OWIN project survives the hold.

I want to make sure whatever investments are made are smart investments that can eventually contribute to a better emergency responder system,” Nathanson said. “I want these investments to be worthwhile.”