Fiscal Note
After the study group begins work, it may be determined that nominal funding (for travel, etc.) is required to complete the study. At that time, the group may need to request funds.
Title
Directing city staff to study the future of dispatch services in light of recent changes to the Dane County Communications Center governance.
Body
WHEREAS, it has been over 20 years since the City of Madison and Dane County entered into an agreement for consolidated dispatch services; and
WHEREAS, the Dane County Board recently eliminated an essential element of this agreement, the Communications Center Board, over the objections of the City of Madison, the Dane County Police Chief’s Association, and the Dane County Fire Chiefs Association; and
WHEREAS, this action ended all involvement in the direct governance over the operations of the communications center by Madison Police and Fire departments, and other first responders in Dane County; and
WHEREAS, the City of Madison is the largest city in the county, has the highest number of calls coming into the communications center, and has the unique service demands of an urban community, and
WHEREAS, the City of Madison spends over $111 million per year on its police and fire department operating budgets (2015 Executive-Police = $64.6 Million; Fire=$46.7 million) , in addition to the capitol expenditures, but the City now has no authority in how those resources will be deployed; and
WHEREAS, changes in how the city’s Police, Fire and EMS resources are dispatched can now be made without the input or knowledge of the Police and Fire Departments, and there is a potential for these changes to incrementally degrade services.
THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED, that the Common Council and Mayor direct the Madison Police Department, the Madison Fire Department, the Radio Shop, and the Information Technology Department to study the operational impacts of the loss of direct governance on the residents of the City of Madiso...
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