Finance Committee - 5/16/2018 Page 6
Alderman Laws
What is this a fiber optic testing tools?
Bruce Codagnone, IT Director
It is a fiber optic test tool so typically we hire contractors whenever we have breakage in fiber optic cable, we
have 45 miles of fiber connecting all the city buildings as well as all the traffic lights throughout the city as well
as redundant back up for the radio towers for the emergency response. And then we have, within the buildings
and the parking garages, we have fiber optic cables. So it is probably is more like 90 miles of cable when you
really look at it. Every time there is a mouse or a squirrel or something or something breaks in the cable, we
usually have to hire a vendor to come in, figure out where that break is, hire someone else to come out and
repair the break. It takes a lot of time and it is also very expensive. So it kind of long overdue to have our own
tester; people on my team know how to use it so it helps us to be able to determine where a break is, how
good a fiber optic line actually is and make any necessary changes or adjustments that we have to do.
Alderman Laws
How long do you anticipate using this?
Mr. Codagnone
It seems like we get breaks like once a month, especially on the traffic poles and the traffic cabinets. There is
always a squirrel that wants to live in there and decides that this is food. So we have breaks a lot of times and
plus we have people that when the traffic cameras go off the road, they hit them. And also we have within
buildings where someone is working, they drill a hole through the wall and actually hit a cable. It is hard to find
those.
Alderman Laws
Thank you.
Alderwoman Kelly
Thank you. So would this tool allow you to take everything in house or just the diagnostic?
Mr. Codagnone
Just the diagnostics.
Alderwoman Kelly
Ok and currently, if | could follow up, how often are you paying for someone else to do that diagnostic?
Mr. Codagnone
Pretty much like once a month.
Alderwoman Kelly
Cost?
