COLDWATER, MI (WTVB) – Branch County Sheriff John Pollack is telling voters the current 911 Central Dispatch communications equipment must be replaced and a yes vote is needed on the November 3 ballot question which is requesting a surcharge increase.
If adopted, every device in Branch County that can be used to contact 911 or central dispatch services will be charged an additional $2.52 a month for six years which would increase the local surcharge funds annually by over $2 million.
The total local surcharge would be levied at $2.94 per month per device and would generate over $2.4 million annually. The increased funds would be used to buy an 800/700 MHz Radio System for Branch County.
Pollack said in a statement he released on Wednesday that with the retirement of 911 Director Kurt Spalding and the decision of the County Commissioners to hire a third party firm to audit 911 Central Dispatch’s operations, “I have been fielding many questions all of which indicate to me, there is concern, confusion, and mistrust.”
He went on to say, “Many of those I talk with are not sure they should vote to increase our current surcharge. The answer to that question is yes you should”.
Pollack told about an incident last week when the Sheriff’s department spent ten hours covering a missing person complaint that was only seven miles south of Central Dispatch. He said they had to drive one mile to the west of the scene to get radio and phone coverage because they could not communicate with dispatch.
In asking for a yes vote on the surcharge request, Pollack told voters, “we can’t respond, if we can’t communicate.”.
Comments