Tuesday, May 27, 2003 | 9:55 a.m.
CARSON CITY -- The Senate Finance Committee has agreed to a $16.5 million bailout of the Nevada Highway Patrol after a foul-up in the development of the patrol's communications system.
The committee heard testimony from Michael Hillerby, assistant chief of staff for Gov. Kenny Guinn, and Highway Patrol chief David Hosmer that the system has been illegally using communications channels for troopers that were not approved by the Federal Communications Commission.
Hillberby said the Guinn administration was "very distressed and quite angered" when it learned the patrol had never applied for permanent use of the VHF frequencies. The FCC has told the state to get off those channels, which belong to other agencies or private industry.
"It's been 10 years we've been pouring money into this," Sen. Bernice Mathews, R-Reno, said. "Someone has dropped the ball."
Hillerby said the patrol will try to find available 150-megahertz channels in the interim, but will have to replace the present system and join with the state Transportation Department, which operates an 800-megahertz system.
Hillerby could not offer assurances that the $16.5 million represents the final allocation of funds on the matter. He said upgrades to the system could be necessary.
The plan presented by Hillerby calls for taking $14.6 million from the highway fund and $1.8 million from the general fund to switch the system over to the 800-megahertz frequencies. Patrolmen might have to carry two radios in their cars until a resolution is reached.
Mathews addressed Hillberby: "Somebody has to be held responsible. Have you determined who it is?"
Hillerby said only that most of the people involved in the mix-up have left the patrol.
Hillerby said the FCC has indicated there are no 150-megahertz channels available. Adding to the problem is that many police agencies in rural Nevada use the 150-megahertz frequency and might not be able to communicate with the patrol when the state system is changed to 800 megahertz.
Committee members asked whether taking $14.5 million from the highway fund might slow down some road construction projects. Hillerby said the loss of the money would not have any impact on the major jobs, but it has the potential to affect some smaller maintenance projects.
The bill that is being drafted will be ready for introduction this week. The money would be allocated to the Interim Finance Committee so it could dispense the funds when they are needed. And it will give lawmakers a chance to monitor the progress of the bill.
The highway patrol has turned over a report to the state attorney general's office to determine if criminal charges should be filed.
The patrol went to the current 150-megahertz radio system in 2000 but did not discover until last year that it had never applied for permanent frequencies and that it had been using channels that belonged to others.
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