Union-News (Springfield, MA)
Author: JOHN G. GRAIFF
SOUTHAMPTON, MA – Although the Southampton Central Communications Commission voted last week to assume dispatch services for Goshen police, it plans to raise the fees for all the towns it serves by about 50 percent for the coming fiscal year.
The Southampton dispatch center also handles emergency police calls for Williamsburg and Westhampton.
Southampton Selectman Richard C. Allen said there has been no increase in charges for the service for the past two years, but that costs of providing the service have been increasing.
“We were going to increase the charges last year but we were late in coming up with a figure and the towns had already set their budgets,” Allen said.
“For fiscal year ’94 we will increase the costs by $1,500 for each town,” he said.
Currently Westhampton pays $2,500, Williamsburg, $3,000, and Goshen, if approved by selectmen and the finance committee, will pay $2,750 before the increase, according to Allen.
Goshen’s police dispatching is currently handled by Francis and Ruth Dresser, who work out of their home.
“I realize it is a substantial increase, but at the same time it is a new situation for us,” Allen said. “We had to feel our way around when we first took this on. I think it’s a great deal for them even at the increased cost.”
Allen attributes the need for the increase to costs such as heat, lights, and insurance for the dispatcher.
“Our budget for the central dispatch center is about $104,000 and that does not include heating, lighting and insurance, which come out of separate accounts,” he said.
According to head dispatcher Ron Nunley “If (the towns) had to go out and hire somebody and equip a dispatch center it could cost as much as $20,000 to set it up.”
Southampton provides dispatch service for its police as well as fire, ambulance and highway department.
Williamsburg, Westhampton and Goshen fire departments are dispatched through Amherst, according to Nunley. Under the proposal, Amherst will still handle Goshen’s fire dispatching.
The Central Communications Commission is made up of the town’s selectmen, the police chief, the fire chief, the head dispatcher and the deputy fire chief.