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PROPOSAL:

Recognize and Appropriate Funds from Los Angeles District Attorney’s Office for Purchase of High-Resolution Video Camera System for Laboratory’s Polarized Light Microscope

SYNOPSIS:

AQMD has received $5,000 from the Los Angeles District Attorney’s Office as terms of a court case settlement designated for the purchase of a high-resolution video camera system. The system will enable the laboratory to document, retrieve and archive photographs of particles in compliance samples. This action is to recognize $5,000 and appropriate these funds to the FY 1997-98 Budget for the purchase of the system.

COMMITTEE:

Administrative, April 17, 1998, Recommended for Approval

RECOMMENDED ACTION:

Recognize $5,000 from the Los Angeles District Attorney’s Office and appropriate $5,000 from the Undesignated Fund Balance to the Applied Science and Technology FY 1997-98 Budget, Fixed Asset Major Object, for the purchase of a high-resolution video camera system for the Laboratory’s polarized light microscope.

Barry R. Wallerstein, D.Env.
Acting Executive Officer

Background

On numerous occasions, the Laboratory has analyzed asbestos samples submitted by AQMD inspectors under Rule 1403 that have resulted in legal actions. Some of these cases have been referred to the Los Angeles District Attorney’s Office. Since the samples are classified as hazardous materials, they cannot be taken into the court room. In place of the actual samples, the microscopists take photographs of the samples under the microscope for presentation in the court as evidence. Existing AQMD equipment do not provide sufficient detail for this purpose.

In August 1996, the Los Angeles District Attorney’s Office designated $5,000 to the AQMD from their settlement of a court case for the purchase of a high-resolution video camera system which would enhance our photographic documentation capabilities. The purchase of this camera system, combined with the Laboratory’s existing computer and high quality video card, will allow us to take photographs that accurately reflect the image of the sample as seen through the microscope. In addition, it allows the Laboratory to maintain a digitally captured photograph that can be printed as requested, electronically transmitted, linked to analytical documentation, annotated, and archived on CD-ROM with attached security precautions. There is no deterioration of digitally captured images.

As added benefit, this documentation process could also be applied to fallout samples or particulates submitted for analysis, and an in-house archive using existing AQMD equipment could be used to create a library of materials commonly found in the South Coast area.

Proposal

Recognize $5,000 from the Los Angeles District Attorney’s Office and appropriate these funds to the Applied Science and Technology FY 1997-98 Budget, Fixed Asset Major Object, for the purchase of a high-resolution video camera system for the Laboratory’s polarized light microscope. The system will enable the AQMD to document, retrieve and archive photographs of particles in compliance samples.

Resource Impacts

Through this Board action, $5,000 recognized from the Los Angeles District Attorney’s Office and appropriated to the FY 1997-98 Budget will be utilized to purchase a high-resolution video camera system for the Laboratory.

Since the receipt of funds by the AQMD constitutes a budget supplement within the definition of Health and Safety Code 40720(j), public notice of this proposed supplement was published in the Los Angeles Daily Journal, Riverside Press Enterprise, Orange County Register, San Bernardino Sun, and the Inland Valley Daily Bulletin.

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