Local governments warm up to consolidation

Staff report

youngstown

There is much less opposition to the ideas in the report from Ohio chambers of commerce for consolidated services in local government than for schools.

The chambers’ goal has been to help promote more collaboration among local government entities, said Tony Paglia, director of government and media relations for the Youngstown-Warren Regional Chamber.

“One of those efforts has been consolidation of the 911 centers, which has been very difficult,” he said.

“The feeling from the local government entities is that they don’t want to lose control.”

The economic realities of the past few years have more groups looking to merge with a county 911 system.

In Trumbull County, Liberty Township has become part of the county’s 911 dispatch, and Hubbard and Newton Falls are considering using the county 911 system, Paglia said. Liberty was able to save $200,000 by becoming part of the county 911 system.

If these changes occur Trumbull County would have five 911 systems, he said.

Mahoning County has eight 911 answering points, but officials have begun consolidation plans. The commissioners in March approved the purchase of a $2 million, five-year call-handling agreement with AT&T that will consolidate equipment onto one server and is a first step in eventually merging into one answering point, according to Vindicator archives.

Austintown Township Trustee David Ditzler said he’s a supporter of consolidation and shared services among local townships.

Boardman and Austintown are installing a shared radio system that will connect the two dispatch centers. Ditzler said the system is expandable to allow other entities to join. The Mill Creek MetroParks police department is the first entity to do so.

“That, in my opinion, is the first step to be able to move to joining dispatch centers,” Ditzler said. “Ultimately, I think we could move in a direction to be more efficient and in the long-term reduce manpower and save cost to the tax payer.”

Ditzler also said he thinks county officials need to get into the consolidation fold.

“There are a lot of opportunities countywide,” he said. “Someone in a county position needs to orchestrate it and get it started.”

Some of the next things that could be considered are consolidations among police, fire and other services provided at the township level to reduce costs, Paglia said.

The Trumbull County Engineer’s Ofice also has made road work services available to every township in the county, he said.

“Farmington Township is the first to take advantage of it. I believe others will as time goes on,” Paglia said.

Youngstown and Mahoning County recently signed a contract to have the latter handle the city’s building inspections. The two sides are in conversations to consolidate the city’s building department with the county.

“I’m hoping to have it done as soon as possible,” Youngstown Mayor Charles Sammarone said.

The mayor also wants to have further talks to have the county take over the city’s health department and emergency 911 services to save money.

The Mahoning County 911 center is one example of how Mahoning County already has taken steps toward consolidation.

“We need to take care of all the low-hanging fruit,” Paglia said. “Then we can move on to more substantive changes.”

There is a chance to make progress now with the state trying to push local schools and governments towards cost sharing programs and providing financial incentives to do so, he said.

“This can’t just be about saving money. It also needs to provide as good or better level of service,” Paglia said. “People have an expectation for service, especially for 911.”

David Skolnick, Elise Franco and Burton Speakman contributed to this article.