Police and Fire Committee Minutes 10-20-2022

Police and Fire Committee Minutes 10-20-2022

RUTLAND TOWN SELECTBOARD COMMITTEE MEETING

POLICE AND FIRE COMMITTEES

THURSDAY OCTOBER 20^TH, 2022

The Police and Fire Committees of the Rutland Town Selectboard met at 4:00 PM on Thursday October 20th, 2022, at the Municipal Town Hall. Present was Selectboard Member Joe Denardo, Selectboard Member Sharon Russell, Town Police Chief Ed Dumas, Town Deputy Police Chief Ted Washburn, Town Fire Chief Chris Clark, Town Assistant Fire Chief Mike Carlson, Town Assistant Fire Chief Larry Dell Veneri, and Town Administrator Bill Sweet.

1. Discussed budgeting for dispatch services and the change from using the State service to a new, but not confirmed, dispatch service.
   1. Local committee have been meeting but have reached a point where more direction and information from the State is needed to be able to move forward.
   2. Discussed funding the new service. A county tax would be the most likely, but a formula needs to be created.
   3. The State is still providing dispatch services, but the service is greatly reduced. There have been several issues recently with their dispatch service.
   4. Dispatch services are estimated to be $125,000 to $150,000 annually just for the PD.
   5. Discussed alternatives for using the State for the Police. The Sheriff’s Department and City PD are the only agencies able to do this quickly.
   6. The Police have recently installed a new internal radio system to allow them to work more independently of the State network. This has been working very well.
   7. Discussed putting a separate line item, likely in the general fund as a new line, for Town dispatch service. It will likely start between $150,000 and $175,000.

 

The meeting adjourned at 4:40 PM.

Respectfully submitted, Bill Sweet