CoMMISSIONERS OF CHATHAM CoUNTY (CuaTHam County CounTHoUsE 1124 Buu Sracet P.0. Box 8161 hetpriwwwchathamcounty org SAVANNAH, GEORGIA 31412 (912) 652-7869 Voice (912) 652-7874 Fax Auseat J. ScoT? Chalrman, aus J. Howes District 2 Vice Chairman HELEN L. Stone Distt 1 CChalrman Pro Tem Bossy Lookerr District 3 PPaTRICK K. FARRELL Diawet 4 ‘Taarrua A. One. Distet & James "Jay" Jones Distiet 6 Dean Kiokuanren District 7 CvesteR A. E.us District 8 Les sw County Manager JONATHAN HART County Attorney antes E. BocoOK County Clerk August 17, 2017 Roberto Hemandez, City Manager City of Savannah P.O, Box 1027 Savannah, Georgia 31402 and via e-mail: rhemandez@savannahga.gov Re: Police Precincts Owned by Chatham County Dear Mr. Hemandez: Pursuant to the terms of the current intergovemmental agreement to fund the joint venture that is the Savannah-Chatham Metropolitan Police Department, the County hereby gives notice of its need to locate County staff in county-owned police precincts within 90 days and that all City of Savannah employees (including staff hired by the City of Savannah) should vacate the police precincts owned by Chatham County, As the governing authority for all ofthe citizens of Chatham County, I am mindfulas manager that this transition must be an orderly process that gradually transfers the assets of the County back to her police department that has been in operation since 1909. Likewise, the County understands that the Savannah Police Department will need its portion of the assets used in this Joint venture returned in such a fashion as to ensure seamless police protection for all. To that end, the County asks that all City of Savannah property and employees vacate the police precinets on Whitemarsh Island and Whitefield Avenue by November 17, 2017. The County understands that the City will need time to move its assets and employees from the building and believes that 90 days is sufficient given the deadlines placed upon the County by the vote of City Council to end the joint police force by February 1, 2018. Likewise, Chatham County will take full possession of the Police Annex on Chatham Parkway on November 17, 2017, and I request ‘that all City of Savannah employees and property vacate by that date, except for E911 Communications staff. Ifyou determine that these dates impose serious hardship on your operations, please contact me immediately for further discussion. As the issue of where to house our respective forces looms. largest in this transition, I have elected to address. only this issue at this time. I will write to you again soon to address other matters such as police cars, equipment, weapons, body cameras, and other matters. Sincerely, CNG Lee Smith WLS:fqr cc: Kelvin Lewis, Project Manager