911 review is an emergency

Mahoning County Sheriff Ran- dall Wellington’s claim that his department can save county government more than $500,000 if the commissioners hand over operation of the 911 emergency telephone system and the Emergency Management Agency demands serious consideration.

Indeed, given that the issue of a consolidated 911 system for the county has been taken off the front burner in the last couple years, Wellington’s proposal should be discussed in public.

Of singular interest to the taxpayers who recently renewed a half-percent sales tax for five years is the sheriff’s contention that there’s “redundancy, waste and increased operational costs” because the 911/EMA systems are controlled by commissioners Anthony Traficanti, David Ludt and John McNally. It would be instructive to hear Wellington’s justifcation for this rather harsh assessment of the situation.

In a letter to Traficanti et al, he contended that in most counties in Ohio, 911 and EMA systems are operated by sheriff’s departments, and that the Mahoning County jail on Fifth Avenue was constructed with space designed for a communications system. The sheriff also noted that law-enforcement officers in his department have the necessary certifications for both radio communications and EMA services. It means they can multi-task.

This is an important development in the push to consolidate the 911 answering points in Youngstown, the county, Austintown, Canfield, Boardman, Beaver Township, Struthers and Sebring into one central dispatching center and one backup dispatching location.

Consultant’s view

At the end of 2008, a consultant hired by the commissioners to study consolidation contended it would take at least five years to accomplish. We, along with the Regional Chamber, and even Commissioner McNally, said the issue should be put on a fast track.

In November 2008, McNally told The Vindicator that the county was “two years late in getting it [consolidation] moving.”

It is now two years later. Local governments no longer have the luxury of delaying cost-cutting initiatives. The state of Ohio could well face a $4 billion to $8 billion shortfall in its operating budget, which means state funding for local governments will take a hit.

Sheriff Wellington has said his plan for 911/EMA will save more than $500,000. The commissioners and the public should listen to what he has to say — with an open mind.