LIBERTY Trustee recommends levy to aid 911

Officials are considering replacing two fire stations with a central station.
By TIM YOVICH
VINDICATOR TRUMBULL STAFF
LIBERTY -- A township trustee is recommending that a communications levy be placed before voters.
Trustee Jack Simon made the suggestion Friday during a special meeting to discuss recent flood damage in the township.
Since the township pulled out of the Trumbull County 911 system about three years ago, a police dispatcher has handled all emergency calls, including fire and ambulance calls.
Fire Chief Michael Durkin explained that one dispatcher was unable to keep up with the calls and necessary paperwork when storms struck July 21 and Sunday.
Simon said such an issue won't be placed on the ballot this year, but could be in the spring after the township receives a performance audit being conducted by the state auditor's office.
Designation
Simon and Trustee Patrick Durina said this is a good time for the township to become a public service access point, or PSAP, with the county 911 center.
Simon said that with the PSAP designation, the county would pay for additional equipment the township needs. Also, 911 calls that can't be handled by the township would be answered at the county center.
Tim Gladis, county 911 director, said after the meeting that Liberty is technically a PSAP as is -- able to answer and process 911 calls.
Gladis said the county is not interested in picking up the cost of equipment of those communities that dropped out of the 911 system. "That's never going to happen," Gladis stressed.
He explained that Liberty can return to the county system and close its dispatching service.
Gladis said he also can work out an arrangement with trustees to handle township emergency calls if the Liberty system becomes overloaded. It wouldn't cost the township because it occurs so infrequently.
During the meeting, Durkin got approval from Simon and Durina to look into closing two fire stations on Belmont Avenue and Logan Way and opening a central station.
The maintenance building behind the township administration building would be renovated to house the central station.
In the meantime, trustees agreed to reopen the Belmont station, which was closed because of flooding during the July 21 storm.
Durkin said the station lost its furniture, refrigerator, air conditioner, furnace and bedding. It will reopen with $10,000 in insurance money and $10,000 of township funds.
"That station is a money pit," Durina said of the Belmont facility.
Durkin agreed, noting that it's old and has high maintenance and energy costs.
The Federal Emergency Management Agency estimated that the July 21 storm caused $1,045,000 of damage in the township, Durkin said.
This includes damage to township-owned infrastructure, such as roads, as well as private property. The figure also includes employee overtime but not extraordinary equipment use, Durkin said.
Damage from Sunday's storm has not been totaled, he added.
yovich@vindy.com