Central dispatch still a hot topic
By Jef Gallatin
North Olmsted
Published July 6, 2005

Whether or not to join the fire central dispatch group with other Westshore communities remained a hot topic between council and the mayor as the administration's self-imposed deadline neared.

With a vote on joining scheduled for a special meeting last night, Council was still asking questions about the program. Mayor Thomas O'Grady has been lobbying them seeking a yes vote on the issue. O'Grady has asked council to make a decision by July in order for him to tell the West Shore Council of Governments whether or not North Olmsted would be in or out of the group when it opens in the fall.

O'Grady has continued to say the new technology available to the entire dispatch group will speed up response time. He also says with shrinking resources available to cities, North Olmsted will eventually need to join. The city should get in now while the dispatch group is still relatively new so North Olmsted can have a major say in how the program is set up instead of possibly having to wait later and have little input into policy, the mayor added.

"This is something that will benefit the city now and even more so in the future," O'Grady said. "Taking part in this will bring us the benefits of combining our resources with the other communities to have technology which will let us know where every fire vehicle is to make the best possible decision on dispatching anyone. And it will help us down the road in governmental and financial areas."

Meanwhile, several council members continue to express concern about the financial costs involved. They also say North Olmsted has the best current dispatch services and say the city won't gain any better service by joining the other communities in the dispatch center scheduled to open at St. John West Shore Hospital later this year.

"It just appears to me that any immediate benefits don't measure up to what we would have to put into it or possibly lose by joining the group right now," said Ron Tallon, chairman of council's finance committee. "The other cities will get some very quick benefits by having North Olmsted and its resources added. But I just don't see it as something that provides us much benefit now when we already have the top dispatchers in the area."

After council's Safety Committee, made up of Chairman Paul Miller, Dan Ryan and Tallon, unanimously passed the matter on to the full council with no recommendation after another meeting on the subject June 28, O'Grady said the issue remains undecided in his view.

"We made a better case for it tonight then we did the first time," he said referring to the first discussion of the matter at an earlier June safety committee meeting. "We were much more focused and I think that will show when council considers it."

O'Grady and Fire Chief Tom Klecan gave a PowerPoint presentation on the subject with some verbal assists from Westlake Fire Chief Richard Pietrick, who has been active in forming the central dispatch services. They emphasized the technological advantages of the new equipment, noting both Westlake and North Olmsted have received large Federal Emergency Management Agency grants. They noted that North Olmsted would not get the benefits of combining its equipment with the other departments unless they join. Klecan also said North Olmsted could probably not utilize all of its grant by itself.

"This is something where we can use it more wisely and to everybody in the area's advantage --including North Olmsted -- if we join now," O'Grady said. "I don't want us to have to play catch-up later. I do believe that if we don't join, then whenever the central dispatch opens, then we'll have the second best dispatch situation in the area."

O'Grady said the city could join for two years while its grant is used and then consider whether to remain or not.

However, Ryan and Tallon both still have questions about the finances and possibly losing control of the North Olmsted dispatch services.

Ryan has consistently advocated maintaining control of city services and personnel.

Tallon admits to worrying about paying nearly $160,000 annually after the first two years, when North Olmsted's share of the costs will be covered by the use of its FEMA grant.

"We don't have a lot of money to spend on something now where we don't see immediate benefits," Tallon said. "It's hard to justify when we already have top-notch services."

Dave Boatman, chief of the firefighters union, said it is not taking an official stance on the issue, but when asked said he thought most of the men in the ranks would not support it.

"We don't really see it as a benefit as it's being presented because we already have top dispatchers who we have a great relationship with already," Boatman said.

Other council members saw points on both sides.

"Ultimately, we're probably going to have some kind of regional situation for this," said Ward 4 Councilman Dean McKay. "I'm not thrilled by it, but it may be for us to join now and make sure we get the best setup possible. We need to make sure we continue to be protected."

Councilman-at-large Michael Gareau Jr. said he'd probably be thinking about it right up to last night.

"There's a lot involved in the issue," Gareau said. "Will there be long-term benefits? Yes, there will. But do they out-weigh the benefits we currently have and what we would have if we join now. We have to decide if this is the best possible fit for us now."

Miller said the city has to consider all its financial issues when deciding.

"There are a lot of major issues we need to work on in the city, and we have to consider whether this fits into what we need right now," Miller said. "Is this something we could do eventually? Yes, probably. But we need to make sure North Olmsted and its needs are taken care of now."