The township will continue to get its dispatching service from the village after Jan. 1, but that doesn’t mean the issue is resolved.
After getting a list providing rationale for an over $20,000 increase in dispatch services from the village, Fire Chief Jeff Key was back in front of the township board on Dec. 18.
Key said he would like to see the data behind the rising personnel costs cited by the village and the results to a dispatching study referenced in the village’s report.
‘I’d like to see the numbers and verify that we’re going to pay the right amount,? Key said. ‘I’d like to see some paperwork backing up their statements.?
The village is asking the township to pay $90,000 for services in 2007, up 30 percent from 2006.
The contract also calls for five-percent increases in each subsequent year.
The board hoped to resolve the issue at the Dec. 18 meeting, but instead will allow discussions between Key and Village Manager JoAnn Van Tassel to continue.
Both parties were present at the board meeting.
Key is to report back to the board with an update on Jan. 16, and the board set a deadline of March 5 – at which point the contract would come into effect as presented by the village unless justification is provided otherwise.
In the meantime, the current contract will be extended for a couple of months.
‘They’re not going to stop answering the phones,? Key said. ‘It affects them as well as us.?
Lake Orion Police Chief Jerry Narsh said about 30-40 percent of 911 calls are fire department related, adding that the majority are medical emergencies rather than fires. However, he doesn’t believe the figures tell the whole story.
Narsh pointed out that dispatchers have to field numerous calls on a daily basis, including requests for burn permits, permit renewals and after-hour water department issues — all of which require time and attention, he said.
‘We gladly handle all of these calls for the township,? said Narsh. ‘What some people don’t understand is the volume of calls that come in. When we get one 911 call, there are often many more that follow about the same incident. That needs to be taken into account.?
The police chief said he is preparing additional data on the day-to-day activity at the dispatch center, which will be forwarded to Van Tassel.
Responding to the rationale provided by the village, Key said the added staff and fire houses since the last contract speak to faster response times, as the department services the same area today as they did before.
‘You don’t respond to calls from an area, you respond to calls from people,? Van Tassel said, who said the increased number of calls speaks for itself.
When asked by the board why there wasn’t an increase in 2002, when the contract was last extended, Van Tassel noted that the 2000 census was yet to be released.
That census indicated a 40-percent increase in population in the township from the 1990 census, information cited by the village in its rationale.
Some township trustees expressed a desire to have this issue wrapped up sooner rather than later, so not to have it follow the precedent set by the lingering fire hydrant issue.
As a result, Township Supervisor Jerry Dywasuk said the board might be able to take a more proactive stance.
‘I think it would be helpful if some of the trustees could come to the dispatch center and observe,? he said.
The board then appointed a Fire/Dispatch Agreement Committee, consisting of Dywasuk and trustees John Garlicki and Matt Gibb.
That committee will visit the downtown dispatch center, located within the village offices at 37 E. Flint St.
‘We’ve worked with the village for 40 or 50 years,? Key said. ‘There have been some rough spots from time to time, but we’ve always managed to work them out.?
Narsh shares the opinion that common ground will be found and a new pact inked by both governmental entities.
‘We’ve had a long and good relationship with the township related to the 911 dispatch center,? said Narsh. ‘I think we’ve come a long way toward reaching a final agreement.?
Review editor Tom Wearing contributed to this story.