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Portage police agencies looking at combining dispatch services

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February 22, 2012

by HOLLY SCHOENSTEIN | REPORTER

Aurora -- The city is pondering whether to merge with five dispatch centers in Portage County as a way to share resources and save money.

City Council initially considered Feb. 13 legislation that, if passed, would allow the city to group with Kent State University, Portage County Sheriff's Department and the cities of Streetsboro, Ravenna and Kent and apply for a grant that would pay for a feasibility study to explore combining the agencies into one dispatch center.

The agencies are calling the proposed merger the Portage Coordinated Public Safety Communications Initiative.

The Ohio Department of Development's Local Government Innovation Fund is offering $9 million in grant money for projects that encourage efficiency and shared services among local governments, according to Police Chief Seth Riewaldt.

"Of the many services provided to residents by local governments, studies indicate public safety communications is one that can most easily be shared," he wrote in a letter to Mayor Lynn McGill.

Ward 1 Councilman Jim Vaca said he opposes the idea. "We need to use our own dispatch center. We shouldn't rely on Portage County for anything. We've got a good thing going," he said.

Councilman Dennis Kovach agreed, saying a merger of dispatching services could mean layoffs and more of a financial burden for the city once grant money is no longer available to help run the operation.

"In theory it might be a good idea, but in practicality, it's not a good idea," Kovach said.

COUNCIL IS expected to address the resolution again at its Feb. 27 meeting at 7 p.m. in Town Hall. The grant application deadline is March 1.

Kent and Ravenna pass-ed legislation this month, and the county commissioners are expected to address the matter Feb. 21.

According to KSU Director of Media Relations Emily Vincent, the university is considering the matter but has yet to take official action, and Streetsboro has not addressed the matter.

According to Riewaldt, the study should help the interested agencies determine the possible cost savings and improvements to service the merger could provide.

"For several years, there have been discussions about merging operations since each nearly duplicates the activity of the others," Riewaldt said. "All agree that cost savings and improvement of services could be realized if the number of PSAPs was reduced; however, no action was ever taken on this idea."

The roles of each of the agencies and how the grant money would be used would be part of the application, according to the resolution.

The group must get estimates from several consultants to determine how much the feasibility study would cost. Riewaldt said initially the group thought such a study could cost $30,000.

If awarded the grant, the consortium would be required to contribute a 10 percent match. Assuming the grant covers the entire cost of a $30,000 study, each city's share would be $500.

If the agencies decide to move forward with the consolidation, Riewaldt said the cost would be "considerable," but Ohio is offering a 10-year, no-interest loan.

THE GRANT money is scheduled to be distributed starting July 1.

Although Riewaldt said the Aurora Police Department doesn't expect to hire or lay off employees as a result of the possible consolidation, it's unknown whether the staffing of the other agencies would be affected.

He said no one knows how long the feasibility study would take and what the timeline for the actual merger would be.

Other questions still looming would be where the combined dispatch center would be located and the fate of the dispatch area at the Aurora police station.

Aurora's 2012 budget includes $90,000 for renovations to the dispatch area. A community grant, which accounts for $80,000 of that amount, was carried over from 2011 since the work wasn't completed.

"Although the police department has a budget to renovate its communications center, I feel it is prudent to apply for this grant," Riewaldt said.

"Results from a study may indicate that Aurora residents are better served by merging with another department, making the renovation unnecessary. Conversely, the study may suggest Aurora take on additional call-handling responsibility, expanding the scope of our current plans.

"I feel that some type of consolidation will be in the future for Portage County public safety communications," Riewaldt added.

"The cost of 'next-generation' 911 equipment alone will cause some communities to question whether they can maintain the status quo. The study hopefully will give us a better picture of what the future might look like."

Email: hschoenstein@recordpub.com

Phone: 330-688-0088 ext. 3152




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