Warren committee chairman will ask for vote on dispatching unless questions remain

Staff report

WARREN

The chairman of the Warren City Council Police and Fire Committee said he believes Wednesday night’s committee meeting answered the questions council members had about having Trumbull County take over the city’s police dispatching.

As a result, Councilman Eddie Colbert, D-7th, said he’s inclined to ask at the next council meeting Wednesday to have the measure come up for a final vote.

“Let’s see if Ernie [Cook, county 911 director], the mayor or myself get anymore questions that they didn’t have before,” he added.

Colbert said having the county take over Warren’s dispatching is being pushed because it will save the city about $400,000 per year, but it’s also important for the city and its dispatchers to finalize the question.

“I think you have a right to know are you going to work for the county or stay with the city. I think we owe it to them to give them an up-or-down vote,” Colbert said.

Colbert had intended for the measure to come to a final vote a week ago, but some council members said they still had questions to ask, so it was tabled.