County Eyes Change for 911 Dispatch
By Ryan Schlehuber

Mackinac County is investigating whether it should move its emergency 9-1-1 dispatch service from the Michigan State Police Negaunee Regional Dispatch post to Chippewa County's 9-1-1 center. The move could save the county money over the next few years, although residents would see little to no change in service.

Eight counties in the Upper Peninsula contract with the Negaunee center for their 9-1-1 service, and have been paying $400,000 of the facility's $1.2 million overhead. The state is now asking that the counties pay all of the overhead, which has prompted Mackinac County to look at other options.

The county's Central Dispatch board, meeting Tuesday, January 29, voted 9-2 to recommend that Mackinac County begin negotiations with Chippewa County for 9- 1-1 dispatch services. The board will continue to negotiate with Negaunee.

Voting against the move were Lieutenant David Hopper, commander of the Michigan State Police post in St. Ignace, and Mark Merchberger of the Clark Township Ambulance Corps, who said he wants better financial information from Negaunee before Mackinac County decides to switch 9-1-1 services.

Negaunee has estimated the fees it would like each county to pay in the future, but is waiting to see how many counties stay with the service before issuing firm quotes, said Mackinac County 9-1-1 Coordinator Bryce Tracy.

"If two counties leave, they may cut some dispatchers or float the costs to the remaining counties" he said. "We don't know what they're going to do yet."

As it now stands, Mackinac County's contribution could escalate from the $85,000 it now pays annually to $215,302 by 2013.

Dispatchers at Negaunee receive incoming calls and direct the appropriate authorities or response agencies to the caller in need of assistance, and the service from Chippewa County would be the same, said Mr. Tracy.

Mackinac County has contracted with the Negaunee center since establishing its emergency 9-1-1 service in 1999. Other counties using the Negaunee service include Gogebic, Houghton, Baraga, Keweenaw, Luce, Ontonagon, and Schoolcraft. In addition, Marquette County rents space at the facility, but uses its own operators.

Recent restructuring at the Negaunee post that is downsizing staff, leaving administrative positions vacant, and diverting administrative authority from local control to the State Police headquarters in Lansing, and this, too, has concerned the county partners, said Mr. Tracy.

"What we're trying to protect is the high quality of service we've been able to provide to the people," he said. "Basically, we want to make sure our funding is going toward the best services we can provide for our residents and visitors."

But the biggest concern is being able to afford what Negaunee is asking for its service. The state, Mr. Tracy said, would like the eight counties to fund 100% of the dispatch operation, phasing it in over five years, starting in 2009. By next year, it would like the counties to begin covering 60% of the operation, up from the 33% they are paying for now.

Mackinac County expects about $276,000 from telephone surcharge fees next year, up about $14,000 since Michigan will start to collect from Internet and pre-paid cellular telephone communications. (See related story.)

Its current budgeted expenses include $85,000 payment for 9-1-1 coverage service; $52,200 for subscription fees to the state's 800 megahertz digital radio system; $29,500 for Mr. Tracy's salary; $22,000 for communication repair and maintenance; $18,000 for communication upgrades, such as new radios and pagers; $2,500 for the county's digital mapping system, $2,500 for upgrading its addressing system in its mapping system; and the rest, about $50,000, covers costs for office supplies, equipment, postage, high frequency system telephone line connections for its 800 megahertz digital radio system, and travel expenses for meetings.

Entering its 17th year of operation, Negaunee's dispatch center is the only center in the state that processes 9-1-1 calls for multiple counties.

If Mackinac County joins Chippewa County's system next year, it could cost about $40,000 for technology transfer, such as for routing calls and radio communication links, as well as its first-year payment. The service could be about $120,000, Mr. Tracy believes.

Mackinac County would be the first and only partnering member within Chippewa County's 9-1-1 dispatch service system.

Yearly costs for Mackinac County under the Negaunee services contract would increase from $155,000 in 2009 to $215,302 by 2013, depending on how many partner counties stay with Negaunee.

"Houghton, Gogebic, and Mackinac counties are considered the big three, according to highest population and highest call volume," said Mr. Tracy. "If one of us leaves, it's likely that more would follow for the same reason Mackinac County is considering leaving, which is the concern as to whether we can afford it down the road."

Negaunee processed close to 13,000 emergency calls from Mackinac County last year.

The state has asked Mackinac County to make at least a verbal commitment to a proposed new annual contract by Friday, February 29, although it will provide service, regardless, until the county has another method of dispatch in place.

"Basically, we are backed in a corner, which means we need a contingency plan," said Mr. Tracy. "Whichever way we go, residents and visitors of Mackinac County should see no or very little change to their 9-1-1 service. There's still going to be someone to answer your calls and there's still going to be someone to come and help you."