Hubbard chooses Trumbull County 911 dispatching

Hubbard chooses Trumbull County 911 dispatching

HUBBARD

After a 6-1 council vote Monday night, the city became the newest police department to send its 911 dispatching services to the Trumbull County 911 Center in Howland.

The cost of keeping the center in Hubbard, along with budget concerns, made it a responsible decision, said Councilman Tim O’Hara. He believes the city can still get the same type of emergency service at a fraction of the cost.

“Safety is No. 1 and it always has been No. 1,” he said. “Eventually everyone in the county will be moved to Howland.”

By moving 911 services to an emergency center in Howland, the city can save approximately $200,000 in projected yearly savings, said Louis Carsone, city safety director.

According to the 2012 budget, the city allocated $320,024.50 for dispatching services. Carsone said by moving, the city will be charged $4.75 when a call for service is received by city police. The department has approximately 10,000 calls each year, which results in an estimated cost of $47,500 per year.

“This was not an easy meeting for anyone,” said Carsone, who thanked the four full-time and two part-time dispatchers during the council meeting.

Dan Havalo was the only councilman to vote against the move. He voiced concerns about emergency response times during a possible electric or water outage.

“Right now I feel like we have insignificant information,” he said.