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07/12/2017 09:57 AMBack in March, citing the need to address the town budget as a priority, the Town Council decided to hold off on entering what had been a hotly contested, town-wide debate on whether North Branford's 911 center should stay at police headquarters or operate as a two-town dispatch center based in Branford.
On July 11, councilwoman Rosemarie Angeloni put the topic back on the council's agenda and then made a successful case for keeping the current dispatch arrangement in town, at least through the end of the 2017-2018 fiscal year.
First, Angeloni pointed out that item had somehow fallen off the agenda following the March 23 at North Branford Intermediate School (NBIS), where a crowd of over 70 residents joined the council to hear information, testimony and other input from experts and local safety leaders on the pros and cons of the debate. At the time, both Fire Chief William Seward III and Police Chief Matthew Canelli endorsed a potential 2-2-1 staffing increase, as well as some infrastructure and technology upgrades, to keep the 911 Dispatch Center in North Branford and meet expanding needs. A 2-2-1 scenario would keep the dispatch center at the police station and increase employee coverage from one dispatcher at the desk 24/7 to two assigned during the day, two during the evening and one overnight. Currently the town keeps one dispatcher on at all times. See the story here
"It should have been listed [on the agenda] under 'unfinished business' back in March when we had the hearing over at the NBIS cafeteria, because at that point in time, we had decided whatever we were going to do, before we did, we were going to have public session where the public could come up and give us their view points," said Angeloni. "I have been approached by a number of residents saying, 'When is the public hearing or public meeting going to be held with regards to the dispatch center?'"
Seeing the item re-appear on the July 11 Town Council meeting agenda was enough to prompt one resident, Lynn Riordan, to come to council chambers and ask her own questions about the status of the town's dispatch situation. Noting she was there because the item was "back on the agenda," Riordan made her comments ahead of the council's discussion on the matter as Citizens Statements take place before Unfinished Business.
"It's been said in the past that the reason the idea of consolidating dispatch came up was for safety reasons... and I do agree with [Fire Chief William Seward} that we do need two dispatchers on in town... but if this has been such a hot item, that safety is an issue, where has the subject gone?" Riordan asked.
"It fell of the radar; it disappeared, and now all of the sudden I'm assuming it's coming back; since it's on the agenda," Riordan continued. "So I want to know; if it's a safety issue, where did it go? And if people are concerned with safety, why is there still only one dispatcher on for the town? Why not hire a per diem person while we work out to consolidate with Branford or not? My gut tells me no; but that's just me-- but I'm waiting to hear something that I must be missing. So is safety the main reason to consider consolidating dispatch?"
Later, in discussing Angeloni's motion to keep the town's dispatch at status quo for the 2017-18 fiscal year, based on the fact that no funding was in the 2017-18 town budget to address an infrastructure change or increase staffing; which would likely also require contract review; council members also reviewed the question of safety.
"I don't even know the liability voting like that," Mayor Mike Doody cautioned. "There were problems Identified, are we going to say we're just going to go with the flow, even with problems we've identified? I'd be careful about that."
Ultimately, it was resolved that comments from state experts given on March 23 proved the town is operating safely, at the current time, with its current dispatch scenario.
"We had a guy from state come down and told us you guys have no problem," said councilman Al Rose. "I'm not going to fix something that's not broken."
Angeloni agreed.
"We don't have a problem with our dispatch center," she said. "They answer the calls within the [required] 10 seconds. The state does not have problems with our dispatch."
Angeloni additionally pointed out that the town's 2017-18 budget has no funding to support any changes to dispatch.
"We don't have money allocated for the 2017-18 budget to add another dispatcher," she said, adding "...the whole issue of paying per diem; we have to look at the contract to see if that's even allowed [because] that would be like creating another position, and can you just pay someone per diem while you decide if you're going to add someone? – I don't know that answer."
Angeloni also noted that state funding for making the move to Branford, which was discussed at the March 23 meeting was for "capital" only, leaving the town with costs to cover. On March 23, the council heard an overview of state-provided multi-town dispatch grants and subsidies from representatives of the Division of Statewide Emergency Telecommunications (DSET). In response to their questions, the council was also assured by DSET reps that state funds would continue to be available and provided to multi-town centers despite any state budget concerns. DSET's "911 Fund" is derived from a statewide phone line surcharge (cellular and landline). The fund would pay North Branford a one-time capital expense grant of up to $250,000 (with Branford receiving an additional grant of up to $250,000) for infrastructure/equipment upgrades. The fund would also provide an annual subsidy to the North Branford and Branford multi-town 911 center to help defray operating expenses, based on a subsidy formula calculated on total population served. With a current total population of 150,000 among both towns (anticipated to fall by about 150 in the coming year, based on CT Dept. of Public Health figures), DSET's formula would return between $120,000 to $125,000 in annual subsidies to the center, said DSET's Bill Youell.
Regarding any town funding North Branford could provide for changes to the current dispatch operation in town, on July 11, Angeloni said, "... right now, for 2017-18, there is nothing in the budget. There is no money allocated to do anything."
The council also agreed that Angeloni's motion didn't close the door on future changes to the center, it's location or its staffing levels.
"I'm not saying that it can't come back up again, but I think we need to put it bed; and we said [we would discuss it] after budget season," said Angeloni. "We developed our budget; it went to referendum [and] the money that was set aside in contingency for any possible move, whatever it may be...disappeared during our budget deliberations and was gone. So there is nothing in contingency to move it either way. So I think we should put it to rest for this fiscal year."
Deputy Mayor Joseph Faughnan said he supported Angeloni's motion.
"I view Rose's motion as one to bring finality to the question. A number of people approached her and asked is there going to be a hearing, why haven't we heard anything? And I think they're correct to criticize us in that we had a hearing with the State of Connecticut, we listened to the Fire Chief and the Police Chief – the Fire Chief seemed to come full circle on the issue -- but we did not take any specific action at the conclusion of that hearing. And it's probably appropriate to do so, so that the concept of finality is out there, and people know what is and is not going to happen."
The council voted unanimously to approve Angeloni's motion to not move the dispatch center to Branford in the 2017-18 fiscal year.