COUNCIL TABLES NEW CONTRACT FOR MOTOROLA; ANSWERS SOUGHT ON OLD CONTRACT.

Byline: Patrick McGreevy Daily News Staff Writer

The Los Angeles City Council voted Friday to delay action on a $50 million contract with Motorola for a new police-radio system after some city officials voiced concern about problems with work on a contract the firm already holds for LAPD computers.

Councilwoman Laura Chick won the delay for an indefinite period. She said the council's Public Safety Committee, which she chairs, still has serious unanswered questions about Motorola's handling of a contract to provide new mobile digital terminals. Work on the MDT contract is 21 months behind schedule, she said.

Councilman Richard Alatorre spoke in favor of awarding the $50 million contract for a consortium headed by Motorola to install the voice-radio system for the Los Angeles Police Department.

Alatorre, who has close ties to two subcontractors for Motorola, said the new contract should not be tied to performance on the MDT contract.

``One contract has nothing to do with another contract,'' he said.

The council's Budget and Finance Committee, which Alatorre chairs, has recommended that the new contract go to Motorola and subcontractors Cordoba Corp. and Pacifica Services Inc.

Cordoba President George Pla is a close Alatorre ally and has employed the councilman's son in the past. Pacifica President Ernest Camacho is Alatorre's former campaign treasurer.

Alatorre pressed to have a date set in mid-January for the full council to take up the issue again, but Councilwoman Chick objected, and no date was set.

``The whole point of holding it in committee was to have some leverage on another contract that the same company has,'' Chick said.

Chick said the Public Safety Committee will consider the matter Jan. 5 and decide then whether to send the new proposed contract back to the full council for approval.

``If we have the information we requested from Motorola, it will be sent with due speed back to council,'' Chick said.

In a letter to Motorola earlier in the week, Police Chief Bernard C. Parks said he is concerned about delays in the MDT contract and has heard that the firm wants to make major changes in the technology, cost and timing.

Motorola spokeswoman Pat Sturman said changes are being proposed because new technology became available during delays in the design phase of the project. ``There are clauses in the contract that we have to offer them the latest

technology,'' she said.

Sturman said Motorola is eager to get started on the $50 million voice-radio system.

Motorola and LAPD officials met after the council session Friday but declined to say how much the changes may add to costs and delay completion of the $21 million MDT contract.

Before getting the $50 million voice-radio system contract, Motorola already has received about $40 million in contracts for LAPD emergency communications, including the MDT project, $11 million to supply officers with new hand-held radios and $8 million for other project preparation.

Chick said she is unwilling to support giving Motorola the voice-radio contract until the company convinces her committee that problems, including delays, will be resolved on the MDT project.

In the end, the council vote to send the matter back to Chick's committee was unanimous.