43
Addition will ease crowding for dispatchers
AUSTINTOWN
After a proposed $500,000 addition to the township police department is built, 911 dispatchers will no longer be “sitting on top of each other,” Chief Bob Gavalier said.
Trustees on Monday approved a building contract with Adolph Johnson and Son Co. of Mineral Ridge to add 1,600 square feet, which will become the township’s new dispatching center.
The dispatchers now work on four separate consoles in about half that space, which can lead to radio interference, Gavalier said.
It’s “a big safety concern,” he said.
“To me, this is a big undertaking. We looked at this for a long time,” he said. “It’s enough to give dispatchers the ample room they need, plus for future growth, so we can expand in the future.”
Gavalier said the contractor expects to finish the addition by October. Build costs have yet to be finalized, and officials will likely also purchase two new workspaces, he said. The expansion costs include a networking upgrade so the department is prepared to join the county’s centralized dispatch system.
The former dispatch center could be used as storage space for evidence or the detective division, Gavalier said.
The dispatch center fields calls for several agencies in Mahoning County, including the county sheriff’s office and dog warden and in Jackson and Milton townships.
“They’re doing a lot of calls. It’s very, very tight in there,” Trustee Doug Mc-Glynn said, adding some township detectives are relegated to working in “closets” due to lack of space.
“This move will make it a better facility for the police department and the dispatch center.”
In other business, trustees welcomed the police department’s newest police dog, Gunney. Gunney replaces the department’s retiring police dog Neo, who has been with the department for more than seven years, Gavalier said.
Gunney, a nearly 2-year-old male Belgian Malinois purchased from and trained by a Dutch trainer for $15,000, will be assigned to township officer Jason Murzda.
Gunney is trained to conduct searches and detect narcotics and already has made his first bust, Murzda said.
Gavalier said the department spent approximately an additional $5,000 to fit Murzda’s cruiser for the dog.
Also Monday, township firefighters’ family members and friends filled the hall for a promotion ceremony. The department’s former assistant fire chief of 41 years, Bob Williams, retired at the end of April, meaning a chain promotion for four of the department’s responders, Chief Andy Frost said.
Dave Schertzer, the department’s former captain, was promoted to assistant chief, which carries an annual wage of $70,345.19.
Fred Marcum, the department’s former lieutenant, was promoted to captain with a salary of $67,011.79.
Tom Metzinger was promoted to lieutenant with a salary of $59,899.33.
Ron Oyster, a nearly four-year part-timer, was promoted to full-time firefighter with a salary of $31,433.31.
“Bob’s leaving. He’s a wealth of information, and we’re sorry to see him go,” Frost said, addressing the promoted firefighters. “When I’m gone, this will be the leadership of our fire department. I’m going to be thrilled to leave it to these guys.”