Council Approves Funding Plan For E-911 System

By Steve Bigham

The Legislative Council Wednesday voted 9-2 in favor of adding the expenses of a new E-911 system to its Capital Improvement Plan. The move paved the way for the use of state Local Capital Improvement Plan (LoCIP) funds to pay for new equipment and the construction of a combined police/ambulance/fire dispatch center at Town Hall South.

Council members Ruby Johnson and Doug Brennan voted against the move, saying they oppose any spending of money at Town Hall South while the Fairfield Hills issue remains up the air.

At the meeting, First Selectman Herb Rosenthal urged the council to vote in favor of putting the project on the CIP. He said many improved services for public safety will result from a combined center, one of the most important of which will be emergency medical dispatch. This includes pre-arrival life saving instructions to the caller so that the patient receives immediate medical attention before emergency response personnel arrive.

Earlier this year, the Board of Selectmen cut a $225,000 request from the town’s communications department to upgrade equipment at the Edmond Town hall dispatch center. Instead, Mr Rosenthal said at the time, the town would be seeking LoCIP funding for a combined center.

“All of this was reviewed at the June 21 council meeting when the request for additions to the five-year CIP was referred to the finance committee,” Mr Rosenthal said. “At no time did anyone suggest delaying this vital public safety project until a decision is made on Fairfield Hills.”

The total projected cost for equipment and a combined dispatch center is $213,479.