Merged communication centers gain popular support, but concerns linger as to how a joint department would improve public safety.

By Benjamin Lanka
The Journal Gazette
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FORT WAYNE, Ind. — Mayor Tom Henry is confident Fort Wayne and Allen County will have a joint 911 call center next year.

(AP Photo/Chris Greenberg)

Henry met with the county commissioners, Sheriff Ken Fries and others Wednesday in a sometimes-tense two hours to discuss a proposal to merge the two communication centers. The commissioners rebuffed Henry's requests to sign off on the agreement, but both sides said progress is being made and a merger appears likely.

The proposal calls for city and county dispatchers to become city employees overseen by a joint city-county board. The board would consist of the sheriff, a county fire chief association representative, a commissioners appointee, a mayoral appointee, the homeland security director, the city fire chief, the city police chief and a member from a separate advisory board made of related groups, such as the county coroner and the Three Rivers Ambulance Authority.

The proposal would eliminate three open dispatch positions from the county's department, leaving the joint department with 73 dispatchers and supervisors. Officials at the meeting were adamant that no current employees would lose their jobs in the merger, although Jim DeRose, former county communications director, said a study showed the department could manage with only 70 employees. DeRose said it was best to start with all current employees and see whether attrition can be used to reduce head count in the future. DeRose and former city communications director Steve Smith partnered with Tina Taviano, city communications director, to help study 911 consolidation.

The plan would save the county about $133,000 initially, while the city would have the same costs, although Deputy Mayor Greg Purcell said there would likely be larger savings for both sides down the road.

But not everyone was sold on the idea. Fries said he still had concerns about the entire proposal, questioning how a joint department would improve public safety. Fries previously said he would support a merger only if the sheriff were in control of a joint department.

"How is this going to get a first responder to my house faster?" he asked.

Smith, DeRose and Taviano said they believed the joint department would improve service, and the service levels would be tracked to ensure it was meeting benchmarks.

Henry became agitated when county officials began questioning some of the logistics and benefits of the department.

"We've got a plan that will work. We need to put down our turf, put down our egos," he said. "By God, let's just move forward on this damn thing."

The commissioners, however, said they needed more time to discuss whether the employees should work for the city, county or a third entity. Commissioner Nelson Peters said it was important to maintain neutrality in the new department, and he even suggested hiring a third-party company to manage payroll and human relations for the joint dispatch. Commissioner Bill Brown also questioned some of the organization of the joint department.

Peters said he was hopeful the issues could be resolved, and he said the commissioners would discuss the proposal at their legislative meeting this week or next week. The agreement calls for the joint department to start in 2009. Peters said that is possible, but there is still much work to be done.

Copyright 2008 ProQuest Information and Learning