Centralizing dispatch in Schenectady County is a no-brainer. It’s been talked about since the early 1990s, when the county started E911. Now, with a yearlong study by a private, non-profi t firm showing that it would save money and improve service — and the good chance of a $1.5 million state startup grant — the county, city and towns should turn the talk into action. Many other counties, including Saratoga, have long had centralized dispatch through the sheriff’s department or some county facility. With these systems in place, it was fairly easy for them to bring in E911. But Schenectady had no such system; and so, to facilitate E911, it had to go with what it had at the time: five different dispatch centers. Maintaining and staffing all those centers — one in the city police department, one in Rotterdam, one in Niskayuna, one in Glenville, and one at the state police station in Princetown — is expensive, with a total operating cost of $4.3 million annually. The study found that one central facility would save money, not the first year but over time, as there would be fewer buildings and less....................................http://www.dailygazette.net/De.....amp;EntityId=Ar01103
I'm all for consolidation and saving money. But what concerns me is WHO will be in charge? I'm not very confident turning over Rotterdam's emergency services to the likes of Savage and crew! For example...our RPD wouldn't be patrolling Rotterdam's streets, they'd be in the 'city' sharing their burden!
Until there was a better solution and people in charge that I trusted with my best interest.....I'd leave things just the way they are!
When the INSANE are running the ASYLUM In individuals, insanity is rare; but in groups, parties, nations and epochs, it is the rule. -- Friedrich Nietzsche
“How fortunate for those in power that people never think.” Adolph Hitler
Comes word Schenectady County should have a police/fire centralized dispatch system. This discovery, far from shocking, came from consultants at a taxpayer cost of $100,000.County legislators nearly 20 years ago, were told the fragmented system that includes five separate police operations was inept. During two decades, county politicians did two in-house studies. They even visited Onondaga County's consolidated system. While Democrats and Republicans always agreed on the project, nothing but hot air debate took place. Finally, they threw the $100,000 ball to consultants.
A piece of the "governments are broke'' puzzle is the money wasted on consultants/studies. The late Ron Sontag, a popular guy and Green Party chairman, once told the City Council his feelings about consultants: "They come to town.
SCHENECTADY COUNTY Central dispatching worries hill towns BY MICHAEL LAMENDOLA Gazette Reporter
A proposal to centralize emergency dispatch services in Schenectady County saves money for some municipalities but costs others significantly to join the unified system, a consultant’s report shows. Also, centralized dispatch will not address the radio system problems among emergency agencies, something that would cost millions of dollars to fix. But it will make it easier for different agencies to talk to each other by having dispatchers sitting side-by-side in the same room. The county is pushing to consolidate emergency dispatch services. If the plan proceeds, the county would then charge each participating municipality an annual fee for the service. The county Legislature Tuesday night approved a resolution to move the plan forward by seeking $1.5 million in state grants for startup costs. The county will learn in the spring about the grants. The city of Schenectady and the towns of Glenville, Niskayuna and Rotterdam, which each operate a dispatch center, would save money under the proposed fee schedule. The city will spend $1.8 million this year to operate its own dispatch center. Under centralized dispatch, it would pay approximately $1.6 million each year for five years. Glenville would see its costs drop from $593,196 this year to $521,173 after fi ve years. Niskayuna would go from $593,000 to $521,000, and Rotterdam from $766,000 to $675,000. The county would contribute $470,000 annually through its 911 surcharge, to help offset costs. SERVICE COST CONCERNS Meanwhile, Duanesburg and Princetown, which currently pay nothing for dispatch services, would pay $174,000 and $66,000, respectively, over five years. Duanesburg Supervisor Rene Merrihew said the town cannot afford to pay that, especially in light of projected declines in sales tax and mortgage tax receipts. In the first year, the town would have to pay an introductory fee of $19,000 to join the dispatch service. Each year thereafter, its fee would escalate to where it reaches $50,000 in year five. Princetown’s fee would escalate each year as well. “I am very happy the towns and cities can save money on central dispatch, but we can’t put $20,000 in our budget. Twenty thousand into a budget our size, relatively speaking, is like $300,000 in other towns,” Merrihew said. Every $20,000 represents 1 percent on the town’s tax levy. Its 2009 budget is $851,000. Its town general tax in 2008 is $1.24 per $1,000 assessed valuation. Princetown does not have a town tax. Merrihew said she could not get an answer from the county as to why the town’s fee increases each year. “I asked for a basis on what they based the figures on,” she said. Princetown Supervisor Nicholas Maura said he isn’t sure the town can afford to pay an escalating fee each year. “We are not thrilled about paying. If they get grants, we will pay less,” he said. The state police currently dispatches emergency calls for Princetown and Duanesburg out of its Princetown station. Merrihew and Maura said the state plans to move these services elsewhere. “The troopers will not service us for 911 calls, so we will be kind of nowhere,” Maura said. He said the county is legally obligated to dispatch for the towns should the towns decide not to participate in the consolidated dispatch service. “But we don’t want to do that to them,” he said. Comment from the state police was not available. QUESTIONS OF COST Maura said the town is waiting an answer on the grants before deciding how to proceed on the fee issue. “When it comes down to it, we have not negotiated the costs. There is no point in fighting over money right now because it may not happen,” he said. “If we can get the grants, it will cut costs for equipment.” Glenville Supervisor Frank Quinn said ....................................http://www.dailygazette.net/De.....amp;EntityId=Ar01100
Quoted from bumblethru: I'm all for consolidation and saving money. But what concerns me is WHO will be in charge? I'm not very confident turning over Rotterdam's emergency services to the likes of Savage and crew! For example...our RPD wouldn't be patrolling Rotterdam's streets, they'd be in the 'city' sharing their burden!
I understand this to be a consolidation of the dispatch duties only. I don't know that it would support or permit law enforcement personnel paid by one local municipality (i.e., town) to have jurisdiction in or responsibility for areas of the county outside that jurisdiction.
The consolidation of dispatch, though it makes financial and logistical sense to me, is the first step in the formation of a county wide police department that will shift accountability and control from the local level to the county level. I prefer that the law enforcement agencies remain under local control and that the officers are serving and protecting their neighbors in communities with which they are familiar and a part.
There may be cost savings to be realized by centralizing booking. I don't know what issues, if any, may arise from consolidation of that duty. It may be another area to be considered, though I don't believe that a high paid consulting firm should be required to assess.
what if the new building and equipment costs 5 million? will it save money then?
"While Foreign Terrorists were plotting to murder and maim using homemade bombs in Boston, Democrap officials in Washington DC, Albany and here were busy watching ME and other law abiding American Citizens who are gun owners and taxpayers, in an effort to blame the nation's lack of security on US so that they could have a political scapegoat."
Grant to streamline Schenectady County emergency dispatch Wednesday, July 8, 2009 By Michael Lamendola (Contact) Gazette Reporter
SCHENECTADY COUNTY — Schenectady County is scheduled to receive a $1.5 million grant from the state to centralize emergency dispatch services, two sources said. New York Secretary of State Lorraine Cortés-Vázquez is expected to make the announcement at a news conference today. Susan Savage, chairwoman of the Schenectady County Legislature, and Schenectady Mayor Brian Stratton are scheduled to attend. The grant is through the Local Government Efficiency program. The four-year-old state program is expected to save local governments more than $105 million this year. Schenectady County last year applied for the grant, which is expected to offset startup costs. If the plan proceeds, the county will charge each participating municipality an annual fee for the service. The city of Schenectady and the towns of Glenville, Niskayuna and Rotterdam, which each operate a dispatch center, would save money under a fee schedule outlined in a proposal last year. Duanesburg and Princetown, which currently pay nothing for dispatch services, would pay $174,000 and $66,000 respectively over five years, according to the plan. The city spent $1.8 million last year to operate its own dispatch center. Under centralized dispatch, it would pay approximately $1.6 million each year for five years. Glenville would see its costs drop from $593,196 in 2008 to $521,173 after five years. Niskayuna would go from $593,000 to $521,000 and Rotterdam from $766,000 to $675,000...........>>>>.........>>>>>.................................http://www.dailygazette.com/news/2009/jul/08/0708_dispatch/
I would just love to know where all this grant money is coming from when this state is in such debt, businesses are moving out of the state, and the rich who are supposed to pay for all of this spending are planning to leave as well. If our government local/state/federal just keep raising taxes to pay for their every whim we are all going to end up living in a box under a bridge as we won't be able to afford to pay our taxes.
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