Significant Public Safety Spending on Town Warrant [with video]
The October 20 Annual Fall Town Meeting will address a number of articles involving public safety: from training in the Fire Department to the addition of a long-requested dispatcher for the Communications Center; to approval for data conversions of files in the Police Department based on 30-year-old systems; to the need to clean up, paint and renovate portions of the Public Safety building that was recently vacated by the Fire Department when they moved to their new station.
Selectmen unanimously supported the $13,000 request from Fire Chief Steele McCurdy to train officers, both Lieutenants and Captains in leadership skills including communication skills, management, human resources, coaching and mentoring. The 40-hour training session will be conducted by professors from the University of Mass. Collins Center and will provide officers with tools necessary to run the organization effectively. There will also be small groups that will work on conflict resolution. McCurdy said he would ask for this next year as well in order to train entry-level firefighter/EMTs.
McCurdy said some of the request would be for materials and instruction as well as salaries. He said he would "tighten the belt in other areas."
Selectmen were split, however, and voted 3 to 2 (Eliot and Petropoulos the 'no' votes) to support the long-standing request from out-going Police Chief Donald Palma for an additional dispatcher for the Police and Fire Communications Center. The Chief has put forth this request for several years, and most recently it was cut, yet again, in order to help with the Groton-Dunstable Regional School District budget errors.
Chief Palma stressed that Groton is a Regional Dispatch Center and as such has received more than $585,130 - monies that are used for training, support and equipment for the center. These grants were received from 2009 to 2011. Groton continues to receive grants as it is a regional center. The grant awards to Groton are exceeded only by those given to large metropolitan areas. He said that most of this request for $44,100 for a dispatcher is to cover benefits.
Chief Palma explained that the Commonwealth of Mass. is looking to expand Regional Dispatch Centers as the cost of equipment, etc. continues to grow. He pointed out the Certification Requirements and Emergency Medical Dispatch Requirements that have increased since 2012, along with increased record keeping and updated Call Handling Procedures.
NFPA - National Fire Protection Association sets standards for dispatch centers and stresses that there be two communicators on at all times.
Chief Palma said that dispatchers must answer a 911 call within 15 seconds and an alarm within 90 seconds. "This does not give dispatch a lot of time if they are alone," he said, adding, "When there is a 911 call, the dispatcher must stay with that call." He pointed out that the Fire Department had six ambulance calls since 2 p.m. Monday afternoon.
Groton Communication Center currently handles all Dunstable's Fire and Police calls, as well as covering Groton Electric Light Department, Dept. of Public Works, Sewer Dept. and Water Dept. for after hours and weekends. He added that it is possible that other towns could be added to this.
In FY13, there were 42,994 calls to Groton Communications Center; in FY14, it was 43,800; so far in FY15 (which began July 1), it is 9662, and the projected number for FY 16 is 46,377.
Selectman Chairman Josh Degen commended the Chief on the "very good detail" of his presentation, adding that the $44,000 for this year could change following union negotiations next year.
Selectmen voted unanimously for improvements to the Public Safety building for $60,000. Now that a portion of the building has been vacated by the Fire Department, the Chief is asking for funds for paint, repair, and update for IT in the building. The building has not had an upgrade for 19 years. Many policemen have been coming in on their off-time to paint the walls, but there is some structural work that also needs to be done.
The Board voted 4 to 1 (Eliot) to support the data conversion of police department records to a consolidated database. Cost of the conversion is $41,000. By law, records must be kept by the department, and the cost of maintaining 30-year-old servers and associated software and finding parts has become increasingly expensive.
