A proposed consolidated 911 dispatch center for Flathead County could cost as much as $6.9 million.
If county voters approve that bond package in November, that translates to an annual property tax of $12.44 on a home assessed at $200,000.
County resident Diane Edder told the Flathead City-County 911 Administrative Board on Tuesday: "You run the risk of a voters' rebellion when you let it balloon to that size."
The 911 project's coordinator, Mark Peck, replied: "I think we were as shocked as you were when the design costs came back. I took a deep breath when the costs came out."
The 911 board is getting ready to begin a campaign to persuade the public to approve the bond request in November.
That campaign is being launched today at a press conference. The board discussed the bond referendum at its Tuesday meeting.
"We've got one shot at this. We've got to get it done," board member Turner Askew said.
If the bond referendum falls, Plan B is to cram updated dispatch equipment for a consolidated dispatch center into the basement of the Flathead County Justice Center in Kalispell.
Right now, there are four emergency dispatch centers in Flathead County.
Flathead County's 911 center - operated by the Sheriff's Office - handles law-enforcement calls for rural unincorporated Flathead County, plus all fire and ambulance calls.
Kalispell, Whitefish and Columbia Falls each have dispatch centers for their own police departments.
The four centers have problems coordinating calls with the Flathead's hodgepodge of jurisdictions and levels of service. The current dispatch equipment also is outdated.
Entering the summer, Peck had been doing his own calculations, coming up with a soft estimate of $2.9 million for a 6,000-square-foot center on state land south of the U.S. Forest Service building, which is just south of Glacier High School.
Since then, CTA Architect Engineers mapped out designs, concluding that to cover every conceivable cost would be $6.9 million.
That is for an 11,800-square-foot extra-hardened building, which would include a four-bay equipment storage structure. It also includes the land costs, multiple communications systems, backup systems in case the main systems fail, and specialized air venting to keep the equipment in top shape.
The Flathead's emergency calls have been increasing drastically.
Sheriff's Office calls have roughly doubled from 2005 to 2007, according to the office's dispatch statistics. And the 2008 calls in each month are significantly greater than each month's 2007 figures.
The cities' dispatch calls are increasing at a similar rate, board members from the three towns said.
Kalispell police Chief Roger Nasset said the number of serious calls is also increasing.
Peck said: "We're hitting maximum capacity. … I can't stress enough how critical this bond issue is."
The county commissioners plus the three city councils are tentatively expected to meet Sept. 29 to discuss how they will support the bond campaign.
JMO
to DLT - the point is the dollar amt being requested. Mark Peck, Project Coordinator, had said 6,000 sq and $2.9Million. CTA came back with $6.9M and 11,800sf. That's double the size and more than double cost. I'll go for the 6,000sf $3m. And there are still question on the actual combining of depts. And who is paying for the salaries etc. Are they going to hit us again for this? I hear, yes they are.
STT
In defense of the Gym. If you had to listen to people screaming, crying, and dying on a daily basis you will get stressed, very stressed. You have to sit in a chair for hours on end listening to people living their worst day and provide instructions not only to them but the firemen, police, and paramedics coming to help. If building a gym will help cut turnover costs from burnout, increase their fitness and alertness, and give them a way to let it out for a few minutes so they can "keep their head in the game" than I am all for it. Each of our lives will likely one day depend on these dispatchers. Yes we should be told what exactly the equipment storage will be used for but the gym is a good idea. As far as replacing all of the old equipment the answer is no. Much of the old equipment is being purchased by the state and most of the rest of the equipment money is coming from a grant from the Federal Government. Sure some new equipment might be purchased with these levy funds but the majority will not.
Flathead Cop
The need for a new 911 center is great. I am absolutely willing to spend another $12.00 a year in taxes to give our dispatchers the best in equiptment and facility. I hope that all the equiptment and necessary systems included in this are put out there for the public to see, because people want to know where there money is going. As far as a quiet room... Anyone who believes this is not needed, needs to spend a 10 hour shift with a County 911 dispatcher. You will need a quiet room after about an hour. Thanks to all our dispatchers for the service you provide. VOTE YES FOR THE NEW CENTER!!!!
JMO
I'd love to hear the story of consolidation from the other police depts dispatchers point of view. I hear they are against it. Longer commute for some and may lose seniority. Are all of them guaranteed a job during the consolidation? What about salary & benefits? Will they lose accumulated vacation & sick leave?
MrMark
And Donny boy, you should know all about those prison work-outs, huh?
MrMark
Again, most of us don't even have a treadmill where we work. Why should I pay for you to get into shape? I mean no disrespect, MHPWIFE, I really don't. But you have absolutely no argument here. In this day-and-age, we just can't be spending extra money on frivolous extra's. Just like the city, we need to cut back. We have roads that can't even get fixed properly. We have hundreds that can't pay for their overpriced doctor's visit. Everything is going up except my paycheck and the city and county expect us to pay more every time THEY feel the need. I work at a business located in the Glacier Mall. There is a HUGE
MrMark
amount of space unleased there. Why should taxpayers have to spend money on a brand new facility? I'd bet that there are plenty of other empty office spaces in this county that would be perfectly acceptable as a 9-1-1 facility.
JMO
The job of dispatching can be a nightmare. Dealing with all sorts of personalities (like Don) can be stressful. Many people have jobs that deal with the public and are treated rudely & disrespectfully. But again - this isn't about the great job dispatchers do - it is about the cost of the dispatch center. We have NOT seen any of the plans for it yet you are asking us to spend $6.9 million to fund it. Show us the design. Tell us what we get for our money. I am sure that the cost of this building will not be the only money/tax that comes at us from this center. I remember reading the County wants to hit us with another tax to pay salaries separately. Vs the County paying the salaries. We're tapped out people. Please city/county/state, cut costs instead of trying to raise taxes.
fedup
So if all the bonds that are up this year actually pass...my taxes will actually go up around 50.00 per 100000 of course this is an estimate but at what point do they space all this out. Isnt there a limit or is that just for school bonds not more than 50% I thought....also we are asking for 6.6 mil to build an oversized luxury spa with a call center in it while we can find no money to pave the roads??