alliantgroup Joins The Monitoring Association, Offers Gratis Assessments to TMA Members

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TMA welcomes alliantgroup, a nationwide tax consultancy and the nation’s leading provider of R&D tax credit services, as a new Associate member. alliantgroup is a specialty tax services consultancy that ealliantgroup Logo_CMYK_Blue_Greyxists to help U.S. businesses and their CPA firms identify and properly claim all available federal and state tax incentives which are intended to help businesses grow and successfully compete both in the U.S. and abroad. Headquartered in Houston, Texas and with offices in New York, Boston, Chicago, Sacramento, Orange County, Indianapolis, Orlando and Washington, D.C., alliantgroup has helped businesses from across the nation claim over $5 billion in tax incentives.

“We are pleased to welcome alliantgroup as a new Associate TMA member,” said Jay Hauhn, TMA Executive Director and CEO. “alliantgroup’s unique service will be of great benefit to our member companies. We also look forward to their participating at the TMA Annual Meeting this October, during which Dean Zerbe, former Senior Counsel to the U.S. Senate Finance Committee and current National Managing Director of alliantgroup, will share a legislative and tax update that will outline what our businesses and business owners need to know about tax reform and other economic issues.”

TMA members are often excellent candidates for a number of federal and state tax incentives. Among the most valuable of these incentives includes the federal Research and Development (R&D) Tax Credit—a dollar-for-dollar tax credit that generates an estimated $10 billion annually for U.S. businesses.The R&D Tax Credit is designed to specifically reward companies for making technical enhancements to their products or processes—or in the case of many TMA members and security system integrators, the technical work and experimentation that is done to ensure multiple systems communicate with one another. The integration of multiple systems within a facility is traditionally a necessary practice in the development of a broader security system, and as a result of such technical activities, TMA members are often times some of the absolute best candidates for the credit.

“I am extremely proud to be part of a top-flight organization such as TMA,” said Dhaval Jadav, alliantgroup CEO. “I look forward to working with their members and introducing them to the credit and incentive opportunities available to their membership.”


Exclusively for TMA members, alliantgroup is offering gratis assessments to business owners and executives, in which they will identify the amount of tax credits your business could be looking at this year, which could translate into cash refunds. To learn more, contact Jennifer Groff, at jennifer.groff@alliantgroup.com or 713-552-5657.  [LEARN MORE]

 

Vivint SmartHome is TMA 2017 Monitoring Center of the Year

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Dynamark, Safe, and CRC Honored with Personnel Awards

TMA is pleased to announce the winners of the 2017 Monitoring Center Excellence Awards:

  • Monitoring Center of the Year: Vivint SmartHome
  • Monitoring Center Operator of the Year: Craig Pierce, Safe Systems
  • Monitoring Center Manager of the Year: Keith Godsey, Dynamark
  • Monitoring Center Support Person of the Year: Laura Jacobson, Cooperative Response Center

“The companies and individuals chosen as winners this year are shining examples of how seriously the monitoring industry takes its responsibility to protect life and property,” said Elizabeth Lasko, Vice President of Communications, TMA.

“Our monitoring team delivers a world-class security experience, in conjunction with our state-of-the-art smart home solutions that delight our customers every day,” said Steve Dixon, senior vice president of customer experience and operations at Vivint Smart Home, in a press release. “We’re thrilled to be recognized by the profession’s leading trade association, TMA, for the work we do to keep our customers’ homes and families safe and secure.”

“We congratulate our winners for being recognized as the best of the best,” Lasko continued. “Our judges related how very difficult it was to choose the finalists, let alone the winners, from all the nominations. The applications that were submitted all told powerful stories of service, innovation, corporate culture, and the desire to constantly improve.”

“Each nominee must submit an extensive application detailing company systems like disaster recovery plan, education and training programs, technical innovations, and even community outreach,” said Lasko. “In the case of individual nominations, we ask for examples of how these employees go above and beyond their job descriptions to pursue excellence.”

The TMA Monitoring Center Excellence Awards recognize any FM Approvals, Intertek/ETL or UL-listed monitoring center (TMA members and non-members) and outstanding personnel who perform in the highest professional manner, thereby making a significant contribution to the betterment of the alarm industry and the alarm profession while demonstrating exceptional service to their customers and community.

The purpose of the awards program is to:

  • Establish and promote the inherent value of professional monitoring services in general.
  • Honor those who have made the most significant contributions to the service.
  • Promote the distinct level of professionalism attained by NRTL-approved monitoring centers.

The TMA Monitoring Center Excellence Awards Program is sponsored by SDM Magazine, which will publish a feature story detailing the accomplishments of the winners later this summer. Entries are judged by a blue-ribbon volunteer judging panel appointed by TMA. The four winners were announced at the Opening Reception of the 2017 Electronic Security Expo (ESX) on Tuesday, June 13. For past winners and more information, visit www.tma.us.

TMA-Excellence-Awards-2017

An “AHA” Moment Is in Store for TMA Annual Meeting Attendees in Scottsdale

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What do we mean? Check out this quick video from our keynote speaker, global futurist Jack Uldrich.

You can view the program and register for the Annual Meeting now! Visit 2017 TMA Annual Meeting. 

Marc Mineau  (1954-2017)

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Marc MineauTMA is saddened to learn of the passing in May of our friend Marc Mineau, a passionate entrepreneur who worked for many years in the security field in Canada and the United States. He served as a board member of TMA (then CSAA), national president of CANASA, and president of SIA, and was the intellectual architect of ALAS (Latin America Security Association).

“We have all lost a great friend, champion and defender for our industry,” said TMA past president Ralph Sevinor. “Very few have done so much as Marc had done. I was fortunate to have had Marc as a true friend and also worked with him while he was president of SIA and I was president of CSAA [now TMA]. In our collaboration of mutual associations was the seed capital for our online education programs. We were all recipients of his passion, tenacity and wit.”

Ivan Spector, TMA First Vice President, recounted that “Marc Mineau had a long and distinguished career in the Security Industry. He started Omnitron in Montreal, a full service alarm and monitoring company which he eventually sold to Videotron, a Montreal-based cable company. This became Protectron, a National Company that had a coast-to-coast reach. Marc then turned his considerable talents to the card access part of our Industry by launching Kantech, which was acquired by Tyco and which remains a part of their product line used by many in the Industry today.”

“But most important,” Spector continued, “Marc was my friend, mentor and an industry leader. His joie de vivre was infectious, and spending time with Marc was always stimulating. Amongst the many things he taught me was the importance of giving back to the industry. Marc will be sorely missed.”

Mineau, who suffered with Alzheimers for a long time before passing away, leaves a great legacy and many friends. Donations in his memory are welcomed by the South Shore Alzheimer’s Society (Canada).

–June 8, 2017

FCC Adopts NPRM, NOI, and Request for Comment on Copper Retirement, Section 214 Discontinuance and State Law Preemption

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The FCC has released a Notice of Proposed Rulemaking (NPRM), Notice of Inquiry (NOI), and Request for Comment outlining proposed changes to current rules regarding copper retirement and the discontinuance of telecommunications service and seeking comment on the preemption of state laws governing the maintenance or retirement of copper facilities “to accelerate the deployment of next-generation networks and services by removing barriers to infrastructure investment.”

The FCC’s NOI addresses state laws inhibiting broadband deployment.  Comments on the NOI are due June 12 and reply comments are due July 10. 

In the NOI, the FCC seeks comment on  adopting rules that would help decrease State-sponsored impediments to broadband deployment. Most importantly for the alarm  industry, the FCC seeks comment on “whether there are state laws governing the maintenance or retirement of copper facilities that serve as a barrier to deploying next-generation technologies and services that the Commission might seek to preempt.”  As examples of rules that may be barriers to deploying next-generation technologies the FCC states that “certain states require utilities or specific carriers to maintain adequate equipment and facilities” and others “empower public utilities commissions, either acting on their own authority or in response to a complaint,  to require utilities or specific carriers to maintain, repair, or improve facilities or equipment or to have in place a written preventative maintenance program.”  The  FCC seeks comment on:

  • The impact of state legacy service quality and copper facilities maintenance regulations.
  • The impact of state laws restricting the retirement of copper facilities.
  • Whether Section 253 of the Act provides the FCC with authority to preempt state laws and regulations governing service quality, facilities maintenance, or copper retirement that are impeding fiber deployment, including whether such laws have the effect of prohibiting the ability of incumbent LECs to provide any interstate or intrastate telecommunications service and whether such laws are not competitively neutral or not necessary to preserve and advance universal service, protect the public safety and welfare, ensure the continued quality of telecommunications services, and safeguard the rights of consumers.

The FCC also asks for comment on:

  • Eliminating excessive delays in negotiations and approvals for rights-of-way agreements and permitting for telecommunications services.
  • Prohibiting excessive fees and other costs that may have the effect of prohibiting the provision of telecommunications service.
  • Prohibiting unreasonable conditions or requirements in the context of granting access to rights-of-way, permitting, construction, or licensure related to the provision of telecommunications services.

In the NPRM, the FCC seeks comment on proposed changes to the copper retirement and  Section 214 rules to discontinue services.  The comment dates for the issues raised in the NPRM have not been established.

The FCC proposes a number of revisions to the Part 51 network change disclosure rules and the rules applicable to copper retirement.  Under one proposal, the FCC would repeal Section 51.332 of the rules and return to the prior short-term network change notification rules for copper retirement.  Under this proposal,  an incumbent LEC would be allowed to retire copper facilities 90 days after FCC issuance of a public notice and without providing direct notice to retail customers.

Under a second proposal, the FCC would eliminate all differences between copper retirement and other network change notice requirements, rendering copper retirement changes subject to the same long-term or, where applicable, short-term network change notice requirements as all other types of network changes subject to Section 251(c)(5).  Under this proposal, an incumbent LEC would be allowed to retire copper facilities 10 days after FCC issuance of a public notice and without providing direct notice to retail customers.

Under a third proposal, the FCC would “retain but amend Section 51.332 to streamline the process, provide greater flexibility, and reduce burdensome requirements for incumbent LEC copper retirements.”  Among other things, the FCC seeks comment on whether the rule should be changed to require an incumbent LEC to serve notice only to telephone exchange service providers that directly interconnect with the incumbent LEC’s network and not retail customers and reduce the waiting period to 90 days from 180 days after the FCC releases its public notice before the planned copper retirement can be implemented.

Similarly, the NPRM proposes a number of measures to shorten timeframes and eliminate protections when an incumbent LEC seeks to discontinue the provision of a telecommunications service pursuant to Section 214 of the Act.  Specifically, the FCC seeks comment on:

  • Reducing the Section 214(a) discontinuance process for applications that seek authorization to stop accepting new customers for the service while maintaining service to existing customers (a.k.a. “grandfathering”) to 10 days.
  • Changing the list of eligible services for grandfathering.
  • Adopting a streamlined uniform comment period of 10 days and an auto-grant period of 31 days for both dominant and non-dominant carriers for discontinuance of services that have been grandfathered for at least 180 days.
  • Whether the FCC should conclude that Section 214(a) discontinuances will not adversely affect the present or future public conveniences and necessity, provided that fiber, IP-based, or wireless services are available to the affected community and what types of fiber, IP-based or wireless services would constitute acceptable alternatives.

Read more and submit comments.

Rochester/Monroe County, NY’s John Merklinger is Recipient of 2017 TMA Public Sector Award

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TMA-Public-Sector-AwardJohn M. Merklinger, Director of the Rochester/Monroe County 911 Center and 311 Call Center, is the recipient of The Monitoring Association’s 2017 Public Sector Award. This special honor is given by TMA in recognition of a public sector individual’s contribution to the alarm industry. He will be presented with the award at the 2017 Electronic Security Expo (ESX) Public Sector Luncheon on Friday, June 16, at Music City Center in Nashville.

“It is our pleasure to recognize John for his tireless efforts to advance the implementation of ASAP – the Automated Secure Alarm Protocol – in New York State,” said TMA President Pamela J. Petrow. ASAP is a technology that automates communication between alarm monitoring central stations and 911 centers, resulting in improved accuracy and speed of emergency response.

The award recipient must be nominated by one or more TMA members in good standing. TMA President Petrow and Past President (and current Executive Director) Jay Hauhn put Merklinger’s name forward for consideration.

“New York State was projected to be one of the last states to implement ASAP due to the states unique IT infrastructure,” said Hauhn. “Merklinger, who understood the value ASAP would bring to his center, spearheaded an effort by New York PSAPs to work with the state police to have the needed changes to the state CJIS network funded, scheduled and successfully completed.”

As Director of the Rochester/Monroe County 911 Center and 311 Call Center, Merklinger manages a staff of 246 dedicated employees and an annual budget of $17.6 million at the 911 Center. The 911 Center handled nearly 1.3 million calls in 2016 (the 311 call center handled 484,844 calls in 2016). The Center is accredited by CALEA and the NYS J Merklinger PhotoSheriffs’ Association.

Merklinger has an extensive Public Safety background as a paramedic, volunteer firefighter, and employee at the Monroe County 911 Center for the last 30 years. He has three A.A.S degrees from Monroe Community College in Public Safety Communications, Criminal Justice and Paramedicine. He also has a B.S degree in Organizational Management and a M.S degree in Management from Robert’s Wesleyan College.  A past Fire Chief, he is a life member of Gates Volunteer Ambulance since 1980 and a life member of the Gates Fire Department since 1991. He is past-president of the NYS NENA Chapter and currently serves as President of the NYS 911 Coordinators Association. Merklinger was appointed by Governor Cuomo to the NYS 911 board in 2011 and remains a member of the board.

“We are proud to be the first PSAP in NYS to go live with the ASAP protocol,” said Merklinger.  “We believe this will be a benefit to the public and the public safety organizations by providing quicker entry and response to alarm generated emergencies.”

The ASAP program is based on an American National Standard developed jointly by the Association of Public Safety Communications Officials (APCO) International and TMA, then the Central ASAP-Concept1DStation Alarm Association (CSAA). The program provides a standardized method through the use of automation and the power of Nlets to deliver alarm notifications to 9-1-1 Public Safety Answering Points. As a result, there is an increase in the likelihood of increased law enforcement apprehensions for crimes in-progress, fire quickly extinguished with minimal property damage, and could mean a life-saver for a medical emergency patient when every second counts.

For more information, contact Elizabeth Lasko at TMA, 703-242-4670 or elasko@tma.us.

 

About The Monitoring Association
The Monitoring Association (TMA), formerly the Central Station Alarm Association (CSAA), is an internationally-recognized non-profit trade association that represents professional monitoring companies, including those listed by a TMA-approved Nationally Recognized Testing Laboratory, such as FM Global, Intertek/ETL or UL. Incorporated in 1950, TMA is legally entitled to represent its members before Congress and regulatory agencies on the local, state and federal levels, and other authorities having jurisdiction (AHJs) over the industry. TMA’s mission is to advance the professional monitoring industry through education, advocacy, and public safety relationships. www.tma.us. For more information, contact Elizabeth Lasko at TMA, 703-242-4670 x 16.

TMA Bylaws Proposed Amendments Announced

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Over the past two years, TMA has been undergoing a comprehensive review of our bylaws. There are two Articles scheduled for review and vote at the General Membership Meeting at ESX in Nashville on June 13. TMA voting members received by email official notification of the intended bylaw changes today, which is required to be sent 30 days prior to the General Membership Meeting.  

These documents include a “red-line” version of each existing bylaw showing the recommended revision to the original text, followed by the final proposed text. You can also view the current bylaws in full at TMA Bylaws.

Please direct any questions to TMA Executive Director Jay Hauhn at jhauhn@tma.us.

Doyle Security Goes Live with ASAP; First Implementation in New York State

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ASAP-Concept1DDoyle Security Systems, in cooperation with the Monroe County Emergency Communications Department, has become the first company in New York State to implement the Automated Secure Alarm Protocol (ASAP) to Public Safety Answering Point (PSAP) alarm response program. Doyle is the latest monitoring company to go live with ASAP.

The connection in New York State is the culmination of a long process of alarm company outreach to PSAPs. According to Bill Hobgood, nationally recognized ASAP program expert and a public safety IT project manager for the City of Richmond, VA, “The Doyle Security Systems and the city of Rochester / Monroe County ASAP implementation represents another major milestone in this project. New York State is the eighth state, plus the District of Columbia to join the program. This achievement became a reality by continued assertiveness by staff at Doyle Security and the Monroe County Emergency Communications Department.”

He continued,”Congratulations to Doyle Security, the Monroe County NY 9-1-1 PSAP, and especially John Merklinger, the Monroe County PSAP Director who lobbied the state of New York to bring ASAP to fruition. The way has been paved for other New York 9-1-1 PSAPs to join the program.” Read more in SSI’s report.

 

TMA Government Relations Update

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The TMA Government Relations Committee has reviewed 50 legislative bills to date in 2017. During these reviews Chair Rick Sheets has collaborated with ESA Government Relations and TMA members to gain insight on the effect these bills have on our industry. Here are some bills the GR Committee felt had major impacts.

  • AL HB 426 (Previously LRS2017-573): Creates additional license classification and updates definitions, exempts out of state sales person and replacement of thermostats from licensing.
  • DE HB 93 (New): Creates path for out of state License Qualifier and adds licensing requirements for monitoring agents.
  • FL HB 473/SB 822 (New): Makes ECV optional for Federal Firearms Licensed premises.
  • OK SB 531 (Updated): Reduces licensing hurdles for multiple licenses for companies and its employees to be able to sell and install home automation products that are controlled by a residential burglar alarm system. Passed Senate and awaiting vote in the House.

“It is important that members are engaged in the process to protect their business and viability in the market place,” said Sheets. If you would like any additional details on these bills or have any input you would like to submit, he can be contacted at rs8486@att.com.

Highland Park, TX Goes Live with the Automated Secure Alarm Protocol (ASAP)

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Town is the first to implement ASAP solution provided by Tyler Technologies for New World CAD systems

The Town of Highland Park, Texas, became the 22nd public-safety answering point (PSAP) in the United States and the fifth PSAP in Texas to join the Automated Secure Alarm Protocol (ASAP) program, a technology that automates communication between alarm monitoring central stations and 9-1-1 centers, resulting in improved accuracy and speed of emergency response. Highland Park went live with Vector Security on April 19, 2017. Within hours, other alarm monitoring companies also went live with Highland Park, including Affiliated Monitoring, Central Security, Guardian Protection Services, Monitronics, Protection One, Rapid Response, and Vivint.

ASAP was created in partnership with The Monitoring Association (then the Central Station Alarm Association or CSAA) and the Association of Public Safety Communications Officials (APCO), with Vector Security President and CEO Pam Petrow co-chairing the steering committee. Vector Security was the first alarm company to use ASAP in the City of Richmond, Virginia, in 2012. The ASAP program is designed to eliminate telephone calls, mistakes and miscommunication between alarm monitoring companies and 9-1-1 PSAPs and has effectively reduced 9-1-1 processing time, enabling a faster response time by public safety.

“As a security provider, we actively seek ways to promote ASAP’s value to municipalities and public agencies, and help other alarm companies implement it for the greater good of the industry and the safety of our communities,” Ms. Petrow added.

The implementation at Highland Park represents another milestone for the ASAP program, with Tyler Technologies becoming the newest CAD provider to implement an ASAP interface solution. The solution is now offered for Tyler’s New World Enterprise CAD product line. Former Highland Park Chief Chris Vinson, who passed away unexpectedly in June 2015, was a proponent of law enforcement priority responses to verified alarms. He met with New World Systems prior to its acquisition by Tyler Technologies to gain support for Highland Park’s becoming the first New World ASAP interface deployment site to facilitate the rapid delivery of alarm notifications from alarm monitoring companies without the use of a telephone call.

“In an emergency, time is critical,” said Greg Sebastian, president of Tyler’s Public Safety Division. “With the ASAP program, call processing time is reduced, inaccuracies in alarm and location information are minimized, and 9-1-1 call takers stay available to answer emergency calls for service. We’re pleased the ASAP functionality in Tyler’s New World Enterprise CAD solution helps public safety personnel provide a rapid response to the residents of Highland Park.”

“Highland Park Department of Public Safety strives to provide the best in public safety service,” said Chief Paul Sandman, Assistant Director of Public Safety. “We continuously work toward leveraging technology in order to improve our response times for police, fire and EMS emergencies.  Our new ASAP solution allows alarm integration that increases the alarm communication speed to our communications center. The ASAP solution also frees our communications specialists to handle other incoming emergency phone calls.”

According to Bill Hobgood, nationally recognized ASAP program expert and a public safety IT project manager for the City of Richmond, Virginia, said, “The Highland Park ASAP implementation is a tribute to Chief Vinson’s vision and passion in the pursuit of technology for the benefit of law enforcement and increased citizen satisfaction. Hobgood added, “Tyler Technologies made good on that promise and fulfilled Chief Vinson’s vision. The job is done in his honor. Congratulations to both Highland Park and Tyler Technologies.”

The ASAP program is based on an American National Standard[1] developed jointly by the Association of Public Safety Communications Officials (APCO) International and the Central Station Alarm Association (CSAA) now known as The Monitoring Association. The program provides a standardized method through the use of automation and the power of Nlets[2] to deliver alarm notifications to 9-1-1 Public Safety Answering Points. As a result, there is an increase in the likelihood of increased law enforcement apprehensions for crimes in-progress, fires quickly extinguished with minimal property damage, and could mean a life saver for a medical emergency patient when every second counts.

 

About Vector Security
For more than 40 years, Vector Security, Inc. (www.vectorsecurity.com) has been a premier provider of intelligent security solutions tailored to the needs of the customer. Headquartered in Pittsburgh, the company offers a full suite of electronic security services for residential, business and national account customers across North America and the Caribbean through a network of branches and authorized dealers. Through its wholly-owned subsidiary, Industry Retail Group (IRG), the company also offers customized managed broadband services that lay the foundation for unsurpassed business intelligence. Vector Security is a sister company of the Philadelphia Contributionship, a mutual insurance company founded in 1752, and currently provides cost-effective, technology-based security solutions to over 300,000 homes and businesses.

About The Monitoring Association
The Monitoring Association (TMA), formerly the Central Station Alarm Association (CSAA), is an internationally-recognized non-profit trade association that represents professional monitoring companies, including those listed by a TMA-approved Nationally Recognized Testing Laboratory, such as FM Global, Intertek/ETL or UL. Incorporated in 1950, TMA is legally entitled to represent its members before Congress and regulatory agencies on the local, state and federal levels, and other authorities having jurisdiction (AHJs) over the industry. TMA’s mission is to advance the professional monitoring industry through education, advocacy, and public safety relationships. www.tma.us.  For more information, contact Elizabeth Lasko at TMA, 703-242-4670 x 16.

About Tyler Technologies, Inc.

Tyler Technologies (NYSE: TYL) is a leading provider of end-to-end information management solutions and services for local governments. Tyler partners with clients to empower the public sector – cities, counties, schools and other government entities – to become more efficient, more accessible and more responsive to the needs of their constituents. Tyler’s client base includes more than 15,000 local government offices in all 50 states, Canada, the Caribbean, the United Kingdom and other international locations. In 2016, Forbes ranked Tyler on its “Most Innovative Growth Companies” list, and it has also named Tyler one of “America’s Best Small Companies” eight times. The company has been included six times on the Barron’s 400 Index, a measure of the most promising companies in America. More information about Tyler Technologies, headquartered in Plano, Texas, can be found at  www.tylertech.com

 

 

 

 

[1] APCO/CSAA 2.101.2-2014 ANSI Standard Alarm Monitoring Company to PSAP CAD Automated Secure Alarm Protocol

[2] Nlets: The International Justice and Public Safety Network