Regional dispatch center charts course toward creation, with or without Stow

Cuyahoga Falls, Fairlawn, Tallmadge and Summit County are moving ahead with plans to create a regional dispatch service, even as another potential key player mulls whether to join the operation.

The city of Stow’s participation — or lack thereof — will not change the other communities’ financial contributions to the project or its timeline.

More: Here's what you need to know about the Summit County Regional Dispatch Center

The five entities have discussed consolidating their dispatch services for at least five years, and in early November finalized negotiations.

Brian Nelson, chief of staff for Summit Executive Ilene Shapiro, said there was a “gentlemen’s agreement” for each community to approve the required legislation by the end of 2021 in order to keep construction costs down and to go out to bid after the first of the year.

Cuyahoga Falls, Fairlawn, Tallmadge and the county are all on track to vote on the matter by the end of December. The process has hit some bumps, however, in Stow.

"Communications that occur in Stow are less than ideal at times, and Stow Council members did not seem to be aware of this agreement we all had to get this approved by the end of the year," Nelson said Monday. "I don't think they'll be in a position to approve this by year-end.”

In 2020, 58% of Stow voters approved the city joining a regional dispatch, but the matter still requires council approval.

Some Stow council members have expressed hesitancy in joining the regional dispatch center, and the matter has been further complicated by fewer meetings due to the holidays, the recent and unexpected death of Ward 1 Councilman Dennis Altieri, and Council President Sindi Harrison’s planned absence from the last meeting of the year.

More: 'A community icon:' Stow Councilman Dennis Altieri, former owner of Altieri's Pizza, dies

The only way for Stow to meet the deadline then, would be to pass it on emergency, which requires the vote of all five present council members on Dec. 16. Two of those members will not be on council next year.

"I don't think that was a chance that we wanted to take," Harrison said. "I don't feel like that would be a good service to do that without having a presentation [from the county] and making sure all the facts are understood. The documents are lengthy; one is 174 pages — so for everyone to fully get through it, understand it and do our due diligence, to rush that on the 16th would not seem responsible."

Mayor John Pribonic emphasized that the voters want to join the regional dispatch and called the 2020 election results “a clear message."

“The city of Stow is very committed to moving this forward because that’s the direction the voters gave us,” he said. “ We’re not out by a long stretch. We’ve put a lot of time and energy into this and I want people to know we’re still in the game.”

Stow Council will hear a presentation from the county on Jan. 6, and is planning to vote on Jan. 27.

In the meantime, the remaining four entities have been asked to pass an amended resolution that allows them to move forward in early January without Stow, and also allows Stow to apply to the council of governments (COG) board to become a voting member at a later date. COG members would have to vote to approve.

“If you’re not a founding member, you don’t get a vote at the table... to control the destiny of the COG. That’s very important,” Pribonic said.

Nelson added that should Stow not join, the dispatch center’s operating cost would decrease by about the same amount as Stow’s buy-in fee, and so there would be almost no financial impact to the project. The same is true of the other communities.

Cuyahoga Falls' contribution is $1,122,587; Fairlawn $870,570; Summit County $1,250,202; and Tallmadge $567,313. Stow’s portion is $964,083.

Why a regional dispatch?

About a decade ago, the state tried to limit the number of dispatch centers per county, based on population — but the deadline to do so has long since passed, said Summit's 911 coordinator Mike Banks.

Summit County was to have no more than four; the county currently has 12.

"So now, we have as many as we want, but only the four largest get state funding based on the number of wireless calls they get," Banks said.

The top four are currently Akron and the sheriff's office; Cuyahoga Falls; Stow; and Southwest Summit Communications, covering Copley, Norton Barberton and Springfield.

More: Emergency dispatch center for five Summit County communities opens in Green

"All the other ones, like Bath, Richfield, and Macedonia don't receive enough calls to get that funding, so they are completely self-funded," Banks said.

That funding, expected future cost savings, and the ability to determine how to consolidate rather than adhere to a potential future state mandate, have been driving factors for the consolidation.

"One of these days, we might get legislated into doing this. It's nice to do it on our own terms," Fairlawn City Council President Russell T. Sharnsky said.

What if Stow doesn’t join?

While the regional dispatch would not be affected if Stow Council does not approve the move at the end of January, the city’s dispatch center could see major financial repercussions.

The Stow Communications Center currently serves Tallmadge Police and Fire/EMS, Mogadore Police and Fire/EMS and Randolph Township Fire/EMS and is a $1.4 million operation.

If Tallmadge moves to the regional dispatch center and Stow does not, "That's an automatic reduction of about a half million dollars," Pribonic said. "So we'd have to lay off some personnel in our dispatch centers, because again, we wouldn't be taking the calls for Tallmadge."

Stow typically has 14-16 dispatchers, and without Tallmadge, would have to reduce to 10.

“It’s been a guarantee all along that everyone who joins the COG would retain their jobs, so that’s very important,” Pribonic said.

Stow's dispatch center also received about $50,000 annually from the state's wireless 911 call fund because it has one of the top four volumes in the county. That money could be jeopardized by the loss of Tallmadge’s calls.

What about the dispatchers?

If all five communities eventually join, the annual operating cost is estimated at just under $6 million.

That budget includes every dispatcher currently working for the founding members, who have been guaranteed jobs at the regional dispatch center housed in the former Weaver Workshop in Tallmadge. The entire project is estimated at over $17.2 million.

Akron is also planning to lease a portion of the building to house its dispatch operations, but the city will not be a member of the COG.

Nelson expects that some local dispatchers will not accept the new jobs in Tallmadge. If there are still too many employees, the COG would right-size staffing through attrition, he said.

Lori Pesci, deputy director of the Division of Public Safety, said two dispatchers from each current center have been meeting to create operational policies, make recommendations about seniority and time off, and establish consistent language and procedures.

Additionally, all dispatchers will make at least what they make now — and many will be paid more, Nelson said.

All dispatchers will also undergo intensive cross training to familiarize themselves with other communities and ensure a seamless transition.

Reporter Krista S. Kano can be reached at 330-541-9416, kkano@thebeaconjournal.com or on Twitter @KristaKanoABJ.

This article originally appeared on Akron Beacon Journal: Summit County Regional Dispatch Center moving forward without Stow