WEST NEWBURY — Now is not the time to consider regionalizing the public safety dispatch department, police Chief Lisa Holmes told selectmen.
At a meeting with the board last week, Holmes highlighted several concerns she has with a plan to reduce town expenses by joining a regional dispatch service out of Middleton. Fire Chief Scott Berkenbush — who could not attend the meeting because of illness — also has serious questions about the proposal, Holmes said.
Topsfield, Wenham, Essex — and possibly Salem — are interested in the idea, Finance Board member Bill Bachrach said. The current proposal requires a five-year binding agreement with substantial penalties for early withdrawal, and there is no guarantee that any West Newbury dispatchers would be hired to work at the center.
Bachrach suggested safety officials address some of their concerns by attending the organizational meetings currently being held by towns that have committed to joining the regional center. Speaking up early in the development process might be a way to mold the program into a better fit for West Newbury, he said.
Selectman Tom Atwood reported that according to the Essex County Sheriff's office, West Newbury could save $180,000 annually through this type of regionalization. Currently, $250,000 is budgeted for the dispatch department.
But Holmes contends the savings are not that clear-cut and could result in costs to services that are higher than the town may wish to absorb.
"I think you should look cautiously at this," she said. "No other community in this area is joining the center."
Under the present system, dispatchers coordinate emergency responses for police, fire and emergency management departments 24 hours a day.
"It's much easier to get a smooth flow of communication when you are going through one person who is familiar with the department policies, procedures, as well as the town geography and its citizenry," Holmes said. Residents' "needs and idiosyncrasies" are better addressed by local dispatchers, she said. The dispatchers provide matron duty and prisoner watch and assist police with the booking process.
"They are often the only other person in the police station when an officer comes in with an arrest," said the chief.
They also handle calls for the animal control officer, harbormaster and Public Works Department and assist with walk-in requests, directions, tow releases and property returns. In short, they are a well-trained hub of information and service to the community, Holmes said.
Moving to a regional center in Middleton would mean coverage at the public safety building would decrease, and the complex would be locked to the public most of the day.
"To remove this public access point would be very irresponsible and potentially life-threatening to those in immediate need of service," Holmes said.
Response times would be delayed because call takers would have limited knowledge of the community, she said. And larger communities in the program would require more time from call takers, resulting in less service for West Newbury.
The town would incur costs to synch up police computers with the computer and radio system used at the regional center. The department's current radio system does not reach Middleton. And West Newbury would bear a portion of costs to operate the regional center.
Atwood noted that most of the country outside New England works with county-based regional dispatch systems. He wondered how they make it work.
Tough economic times demand town leaders rethink the current model of government, Atwood said. "Can we really afford to have our own dispatch 10 years from now? The answer is probably no."
Selectman Dick Cushing proposed turning West Newbury's dispatch space into a smaller regional center with Groveland and Merrimac.
"Maybe we can have the best of both worlds if we look at it a little bit more," he said.
Selectmen Chairman Glenn Kemper stressed that the decision to investigate this proposal was in no way a reflection of the job performance or work ethic of West Newbury dispatchers.
But whether it turns out to be a good idea or a bad idea, "one way or another we're going to look at it. We owe it to the townspeople to do that," Kemper said.
