Officials take step toward 911 merger

Youngstown's mayor doesn't want to pay for a study that leads to nothing.
By DEBORA SHAULIS
VINDICATOR STAFF WRITER
YOUNGSTOWN -- Youngstown and Mahoning County officials are taking the next step toward merging their emergency communications centers while leaving room for other communities to get involved.
A committee that's exploring merger options will seek proposals for a consultant who will "find out what it means, monetarily and operationally," to merge the city's and county's 911 operations, said committee spokesman David C. Comstock Jr. Atty. Comstock, who is chief of the Western Reserve Joint Fire District in Poland, spoke Tuesday to Mahoning County commissioners.
The committee will use the county's resources to create and advertise the request for proposals, Comstock said.
The committee seeks an experienced individual or company to address various issues that arise from a merger, from determining equipment needs to dealing with the personalities of those involved, Comstock said.
The request for proposals will be written in such a way "so if other political subdivisions want to join, we don't have to reinvent the wheel," said Walter M. Duzzny, the county's director of emergency management and communications.
This isn't the first time a 911 merger has been studied, but it is the first time that a strategic plan will be developed, Duzzny said.
Could be the answer
Comstock said a merger could be the answer to a number of problems regarding safety, staffing and efficiency.
Also, communications technology is constantly changing, and the federal government orders changes in emergency communications equipment that can be expensive, Comstock said. Communities need to decide whether to tackle those costs on their own or together, he added.
That's why more communities are interested in the merger proposal, Duzzny said.
Boardman Township is one subdivision that has its own emergency dispatching center. "They may be able to handle it now, but in 20 years are they going to be able to keep up with the cost?" Comstock asked.
Comstock said he thinks those costs are catching up with Austintown, another self-sufficient community in terms of dispatching.
Austintown Fire Chief Andrew Frost described his department's communications equipment as "antiquated." Also, two dispatchers per shift used to handle police and fire calls, but now there's usually only one dispatcher on duty for financial reasons, he noted.
It makes more sense to create larger dispatch areas with more dispatchers working "rather than be shorthanded," Frost said.
A big job
One difficulty in merging 911 operations is that each community operates differently. "Bringing everyone together to have uniform communications is going to be big job, but it's something that has to be done," Frost said.
Former Youngstown Mayor George McKelvey had pledged $500,000 from the city to pay for the merger. Current Mayor Jay Williams supports a 911 merger, but with costs of the new study estimated at $250,000 to $300,000, "It would be reasonable to share the cost of the study," he said.
"I don't want this to be a study that leads to nothing," he added.
Whether Trumbull County joins the merger effort remains to be seen. "Trumbull County is involved, but it's not clear to what extent their participation will continue," Comstock said.
Comstock hopes the request for proposals will be advertised within 60 days.
Mahoning's 911 center handles emergency calls for 13 police departments. Youngstown's 911 center handles emergency calls for the city and Mill Creek MetroParks.
shaulis@vindy.com