PUBLIC SERVICES Panel plans for 911 merger

The merger is a 'massive challenge,' Trumbull's 911 director says.
By DAVID SKOLNICK
VINDICATOR POLITICS WRITER
YOUNGSTOWN -- Those considering a consolidation of emergency 911 services for Mahoning and Trumbull counties and Youngstown realize talking about merging the services is a lot easier than actually doing it.
Eight members of a nine-person panel, along with emergency officials in the two counties, met Wednesday for the first time to get an overview of its mission and to discuss the challenge of achieving its goal.
"Adversity offers us a unique opportunity," Tim Gladis, Trumbull's 911 director, told the panel. "It's a massive challenge."
The creation of the panel was prompted by a Feb. 2 offer made by Youngstown Mayor George M. McKelvey to enter into a 10-year, $5 million contract for 911 services between the city and/or the two counties to save money.
McKelvey also said last month that the city would pay for a consultant to conduct the consolidation study, and would donate the 20,000-square-foot top floor of 20 Federal Place, the former Phar-Mor Centre owned by the city, to house a central emergency center.
Community reaction
There are mixed feelings about a combined 911 center among those in the communities that receive those services from the two counties, said Atty. David Comstock Jr., a Youngstown-appointed member to the panel who is also fire chief of the Western Reserve Joint Fire District that serves Poland village and township.
"Many are concerned about protecting their individual fiefdoms," he said.
Gladis was more blunt, saying there's "significant resistance among those who don't want to give up local control."
A consolidated agency would reduce the cost of providing E-911 services, Gladis said. It would also mean a reduction in employees, he said.
A consolidation won't be done quickly because of the cost of establishing a centralized facility, Gladis added.
Logistics
Trumbull County's E-911 annual budget is $1.8 million. The agency laid off eight workers two years ago, and will lay off another six on June 4 because of the county's financial problems, Gladis said. After the upcoming layoffs, Trumbull's 911 center will have 24 employees.
The center handles calls for 23 fire departments, 16 police departments, 15 emergency medical service agencies, as well as the county's hazardous materials unit, coroner, homicide task force, and fire investigation unit.
Mahoning's 911 center's budget is about $800,000, and it employs 20 workers. It handles emergency calls for 15 police departments in the county.
Youngstown's 911 center's budget is $971,702, and it employs 23 people. It handles emergency calls for the city and Mill Creek MetroParks. Even though its area is smaller than the two counties, it handles more calls than either counties' 911 centers.
The Mahoning County Emergency Management Agency estimates an annual budget for a 911 center for the three entities at $3 million, about $600,000 less than the current combined budgets of the three.
Also, the merged facility would need at least 53 workers, according to the EMA estimate. After June 4, the three facilities will employ 67 people.
The EMA estimate doesn't include calls for any fire departments.
However, Comstock said if the consolidated facility is built, fire departments in Mahoning and Trumbull would be interested in participating. Also, communities in the two counties that handle their own E-911 calls or pay another community to handle them may want to join, he said.
The panel will next meet June 15 to visit other areas that have successfully combined E-911 services to save money.
skolnick@vindy.com