The Daily Egyptian is published by the students of SIU at Carbondale. Except during vacations and exam weeks, The Daily Egyptian is published Monday through Friday during the fall and spring semesters and TWThF during the summer semester."

Carbondale won't participate in 911 consolidation

The Carbondale City Council voted unanimously Tuesday to notify the Jackson County 911 Board of its decision to not participate in the consolidation of emergency dispatch services.

City Manager Jeff Doherty said the consolidation would increase costs to the city by requiring the police department to hire additional staff.

The Jackson County Emergency Telephone System Board commissioned a feasibility study in November 2001 that found consolidating public service answering points at Murphysboro, Jackson County, Carbondale and SIUC would be more economical and efficient.

Duties currently performed by records clerks and dispatchers at the Carbondale Police Department would require the city hire a minimum of two additional clerks if the dispatchers moved to a different facility, he said, which would cost the city about $58,000 per year.

Doherty said if the city didn't hire additional staff, the level of service offered by the department would be compromised. Putting a desk sergeant on duty to handle walk-in traffic would decrease the number of sergeants on patrol.

"We need to look at what's best for the citizens of Carbondale, as well as cost," Doherty said.

Ten percent of the police department's calls for service come from walk-ins, Doherty said, which dispatchers and records clerks currently handle.

Randy Mathis, community resource officer at the Carbondale Police Department, said dispatchers also monitor security cameras placed throughout the police station.

In response to City Councilwoman Sheila Simon, Doherty said if the current consolidation proposal is not a good fit for Carbondale, the option to explore the matter in the future would remain open.

Mayor Brad Cole noted the proposed joint facility for SIUC and Carbondale police would consolidate two of the four agencies.

Carbondale Police Sgt. Chuck Shiplett, chairman of the Jackson County 911 Board, said the study recommended against proceeding with the consolidation without the participation of all four agencies. Without all four agencies sharing costs of the new facility, costs to the participating agencies would probably rise significantly, Shiplett said.

Doherty said he also had concerns regarding the consolidated dispatch facility that had an estimated $2.3 million price tag.

With Carbondale declining to participate, the future of the consolidation effort is unclear. Pat Lustig, director of the Jackson County 911 board, said the other three agencies would have to decide on a course of action at the board's next meeting on Oct. 18.

"I respect Carbondale's decision," Lustig said. "Those were difficult issues that they had to deal with."

 

 

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