The Atlantic City Council, Wednesday night, approved an unbudgeted, supplemental expenditure request from Police Chief Steve Green, for $15,202 to upgrade the City’s sirens, and a new computer server for the police camcorder units.  Green said Federal Signal, manufacturer of emergency audible and visual warning devices, will be making a big push to make the sirens and soundboard replacements. Green said they’re “Not expecting to be cutting any deals,” once the push begins. He says the siren boards typically run $1,500-to $1,600 each. A Federal Signal area representative told Green he could only give him a best price through the end of this year, because after that they wouldn’t be making any more bargains. He says by ordering the 11 circuit boards now, he can get them for $150 per board instead of $1,500.

Green said by ordering the parts now, it will save the City between six- and eight-thousand dollars, than if they were to be ordered after the start of the new budget year on July 1st, 2012.  As far as the “server system” for the police camcorder units is concerned, Green said he needs that because the old server is not compatible for use with the newer camcorders installed in the squad cars. He says it normally sells for $5,000-to $6,000, but Green was able to get then for about $2,100.

Green, who says he’s been “In the black” for his budget for several years, says he was going to put the server into next year’s appropriations, but if he could get it now, it would save “Thousands of dollars.” Councilman Kern Miller asked City Administrator Doug Harris if there’s money in the budget to appropriate for the expense. Harris said if there isn’t, they’ll have to find ways to save costs elsewhere. With the Council’s approval, Green said he would likely place an order for the siren circuit boards/upgrades and computer server, sometime today (Thursday).