Oktibbeha County is struggling over relocating E911 and balancing their mandate to provide the new Starkville Consolidated School District enough space to house their expanded administrative services.
There is no argument that E911 is in dire need of a new home. The area they operate within is not only old and cramped but it is dank and dark and not conducive to the best employee morale. It is time for them to have some priority in the space provided by the county.
The newly consolidated school district is without question in need of space. The county is required to provide them space. The problem is how much space is needed and where enough is available.
For several months now the supervisors have been wrangling over space that housed the Oktibbeha County School District prior to the consolidation. The current proposal is to have E911 share the building on Main Street.
While I believe most of the ideas I endorse are absolutely wonderful, this one borders on genius. I wish I could claim it but it was a collaborative effort with a light-bulb moment. See what you think. The city is in the process of renovating a building that will have about 23,000 square feet and will contain a dedicated area for dispatchers. You know where I am going with this.
The County E911 center already dispatches Starkville’s fire department and the Oktibbeha Sheriff’s department and takes the initial 911 calls for the Starkville police department. The dispatch process for the Starkville Police department has no rational reason to spend additional funding on duplicative services for two dispatching units.
This is a perfect opportunity for a county-city consolidation. The fit should be ideal and the arguments against should be minimal except for the inevitable control issues. That leaves the county the ability to house the school district in a space more suiting its needs. Three problems solved with one decision.
If there is ever going to be an opportunity to make this happen, now is the time. The window is open and will swiftly close if the idea isn’t fleshed out and approved. Supervisors and the city board members should get together and make this happen.
Chief Nichols is relatively new and has displayed receptivity for new ideas. He should have an understanding ear in Shank Phelps, the new E911 Director. Mr. Phelps has a deep background in law enforcement and will understand the needs and importance of the police dispatch process.
Neither one of them should have the deeply rooted territorial inclinations that frequently makes change so difficult.
The potential cost savings are considerable. The space could be rent free to E911 for the services performed. The current city dispatchers can easily cover the increased requirements from E911 incorporating Starkville PD into their full service program of duties.
Mr. Phelps predecessor, Jim Britt, and I discussed the possibility of this consolidation years ago. Mr. Britt always said his office could take on that additional traffic. The then Police Chief was not in favor of relinquishing that control. Then wasn’t the time but now can and should be.
At a time when Chief Nichols has come to the Board of Aldermen asking for additional officers, here is a ready-made funding opportunity in the cost savings. The county could potentially save money on facility costs through cooperative consolidation and efficiencies of service.
The sheriff’s department and the City of Starkville are both CALEA accredited agencies. They follow similar protocols and regularly back each other up on calls. I am sure there are other dispatching details that would need to be worked out, but the upside should be worth making that effort.
The renovation for the police department could include the expensive and specialized technology outfitting required of the 911 facility. Though that renovation is a year or more away, the current E911 has been waiting a long time, this opportunity easily justifies the inconvenience more time might bring.
If the supervisors go ahead with the plan to put E911 in the current building on Main Street that window of opportunity will close. The cost of putting the funding into the technology and retrofitting the building will be prohibitive to then consider moving it again. Let’s encourage our elected representatives to look at this opportunity to save taxpayer dollars and take a can do attitude to make our governments work together whenever and wherever possible. Consolidation opportunities are possible and we need to explore them at every turn.
The Dispatch Editorial Board is made up of publisher Peter Imes, columnist Slim Smith, managing editor Zack Plair and senior newsroom staff.
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