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By Phil Trexler
Beacon Journal staff writer
POSTED: 06:26 p.m. EDT, May 02, 2009
The free ride is over.
After years of buying police protection from the Summit County Sheriff's Office, the city of Green, the townships of Coventry and Northfield Center and other communities are seeing tens of thousands in annual cost increases — in some cases, budget-busting hikes of 20 percent or more.
The primary reason: The communities — for the first time — are being charged for dispatchers to take emergency 911 calls.
Northfield Center Township Trustee Paul Buescher said the notion of paying for an essential service that always was included in the contract is akin to buying a new car and learning the tires cost extra.
''You don't want to quote my initial reaction to this,'' he said. ''Let's just say I was shocked.''
Last year, Northfield Center paid about $486,500 for the services of five sheriff's deputies for full-time coverage.
This year, the county is demanding the township come up with $547,055.
The new dispatching fees account for $40,319 of the increase. That works out to about $8 per call — assuming residents make about the same number of 911 calls, 4,700, recorded last year.
The proposed three-year contract would cost the township $569,224 in 2010 and $592,570 in 2011.
While negotiations are under way, Northfield Center, Green and Coventry are maintaining their police coverage under last year's contract, which expired in December.
Community officials say they were prepared for the usual 3 or 4 percent hikes — not increases three or more times that amount.
Seeking alternatives
In the case of Northfield Center, officials are looking at their neighbors and considering using their officers to patrol their streets. Others are considering contracting for fewer deputies.
Buescher said an increase to the township's police levy might be the only way to continue protection from the sheriff. But in this poor economic climate, breaking the news to taxpayers would be dicey.
''Imagine being an elected official and asking voters for a half a million dollars and telling them they're getting nothing, zero, nada, in return for that money,'' he said. ''It ain't gonna happen.''
County officials said they had no choice but to start charging for dispatching services.
Christine Croce, legal counsel with the sheriff's office, said the order came from the administration of county Executive Russ Pry.
She said an analysis of costs, done in preparation for the next series of three-year contracts with the communities, showed that the price of dispatching had never been included in previous deals.
That's unfair, county officials argue, when communities such as Springfield Township and Lakemore Village, which operate their own police forces, already pay for county dispatchers.
Croce said budget crunches have affected all county offices. The sheriff's office budget for 2009 already has been trimmed by 5 percent.
''No one's getting anything for free anymore,'' she said. ''I only say that because we used to do a lot of things and we try to help everybody out and it's just impossible.''
Akron-Canton Airport has signed its three-year agreement with the sheriff's office. Twinsburg Township has renewed, but for only one year.
Linda Phelps, the county finance and budget director, said she doesn't know why dispatching fees haven't been included in previous contracts.
But, she said, Buescher and others are mistaken if they believe the dispatching service has always been free.
''Let's say they've been getting [dispatching], but they haven't been paying for it,'' she said. ''It was never addressed in the contracts and they can't assume it was part of the package.''
'Out of left field'
Bob Wilson, a Coventry trustee, said his township's bean counters were sideswiped by the new dispatching charge and the ballooning cost to retain the use of six deputies.
Coventry paid about $554,000 last year. The county wants about $675,000 this year, which includes $98,000 for dispatchers. The proposal calls for payments of about $702,000 in 2010 and $731,000 the final year of the three-year contract.
Coventry residents called dispatchers about 11,500 times in 2008.
Wilson doesn't understand how the county came to the conclusion that dispatching services were not part of the contract packages.
''If you contract for police service, an integral part of that is dispatching,'' he said. ''How do you deliver those services if you don't have a dispatcher?''
Wilson also wondered why the township was given only about 30 days' notice of the price hike.
''Probably the most concerning thing is how this came out of left field,'' he said.
A levy pays for Coventry's safety contracts, and Wilson said it might be necessary to ask voters for more money.
''We just cannot absorb these costs,'' he said.
Green Mayor Dick Norton said he is considering a contract calling for fewer deputies to offset the price hike.
Last year, the city paid about $1.55 million for 17 deputies. This year, the county wants $1.78 million, with about $173,000 to cover the cost of dispatching.
In 2010, the bill would increase to $1.87 million and to $1.93 million the following year, according to the county's proposal.
Green residents dialed 911 about 20,200 times last year.
Norton said the city's finances remain strong, but acknowledged that the cost hike this year is a problem because the budget already is set.
But the mayor said he is willing to negotiate and thinks a compromise is possible with county officials.
''They have costs that keep going up, and we have costs that keep going up,'' Norton said. ''So we think there's a middle ground here.
''We just don't know what it is.''
The free ride is over.
After years of buying police protection from the Summit County Sheriff's Office, the city of Green, the townships of Coventry and Northfield Center and other communities are seeing tens of thousands in annual cost increases — in some cases, budget-busting hikes of 20 percent or more.
The primary reason: The communities — for the first time — are being charged for dispatchers to take emergency 911 calls.
Northfield Center Township Trustee Paul Buescher said the notion of paying for an essential service that always was included in the contract is akin to buying a new car and learning the tires cost extra.
''You don't want to quote my initial reaction to this,'' he said. ''Let's just say I was shocked.''
Last year, Northfield Center paid about $486,500 for the services of five sheriff's deputies for full-time coverage.
This year, the county is demanding the township come up with $547,055.
The new dispatching fees account for $40,319 of the increase. That works out to about $8 per call — assuming residents make about the same number of 911 calls, 4,700, recorded last year.
The proposed three-year contract would cost the township $569,224 in 2010 and $592,570 in 2011.
While negotiations are under way, Northfield Center, Green and Coventry are maintaining their police coverage under last year's contract, which expired in December.
Community officials say they were prepared for the usual 3 or 4 percent hikes — not increases three or more times that amount.
Seeking alternatives
In the case of Northfield Center, officials are looking at their neighbors and considering using their officers to patrol their streets. Others are considering contracting for fewer deputies.
Buescher said an increase to the township's police levy might be the only way to continue protection from the sheriff. But in this poor economic climate, breaking the news to taxpayers would be dicey.
''Imagine being an elected official and asking voters for a half a million dollars and telling them they're getting nothing, zero, nada, in return for that money,'' he said. ''It ain't gonna happen.''
County officials said they had no choice but to start charging for dispatching services.
Christine Croce, legal counsel with the sheriff's office, said the order came from the administration of county Executive Russ Pry.
She said an analysis of costs, done in preparation for the next series of three-year contracts with the communities, showed that the price of dispatching had never been included in previous deals.
That's unfair, county officials argue, when communities such as Springfield Township and Lakemore Village, which operate their own police forces, already pay for county dispatchers.
Croce said budget crunches have affected all county offices. The sheriff's office budget for 2009 already has been trimmed by 5 percent.
''No one's getting anything for free anymore,'' she said. ''I only say that because we used to do a lot of things and we try to help everybody out and it's just impossible.''
Akron-Canton Airport has signed its three-year agreement with the sheriff's office. Twinsburg Township has renewed, but for only one year.
Linda Phelps, the county finance and budget director, said she doesn't know why dispatching fees haven't been included in previous contracts.
But, she said, Buescher and others are mistaken if they believe the dispatching service has always been free.
''Let's say they've been getting [dispatching], but they haven't been paying for it,'' she said. ''It was never addressed in the contracts and they can't assume it was part of the package.''
'Out of left field'
Bob Wilson, a Coventry trustee, said his township's bean counters were sideswiped by the new dispatching charge and the ballooning cost to retain the use of six deputies.
Coventry paid about $554,000 last year. The county wants about $675,000 this year, which includes $98,000 for dispatchers. The proposal calls for payments of about $702,000 in 2010 and $731,000 the final year of the three-year contract.
Coventry residents called dispatchers about 11,500 times in 2008.
Wilson doesn't understand how the county came to the conclusion that dispatching services were not part of the contract packages.
''If you contract for police service, an integral part of that is dispatching,'' he said. ''How do you deliver those services if you don't have a dispatcher?''
Wilson also wondered why the township was given only about 30 days' notice of the price hike.
''Probably the most concerning thing is how this came out of left field,'' he said.
A levy pays for Coventry's safety contracts, and Wilson said it might be necessary to ask voters for more money.
''We just cannot absorb these costs,'' he said.
Green Mayor Dick Norton said he is considering a contract calling for fewer deputies to offset the price hike.
Last year, the city paid about $1.55 million for 17 deputies. This year, the county wants $1.78 million, with about $173,000 to cover the cost of dispatching.
In 2010, the bill would increase to $1.87 million and to $1.93 million the following year, according to the county's proposal.
Green residents dialed 911 about 20,200 times last year.
Norton said the city's finances remain strong, but acknowledged that the cost hike this year is a problem because the budget already is set.
But the mayor said he is willing to negotiate and thinks a compromise is possible with county officials.
''They have costs that keep going up, and we have costs that keep going up,'' Norton said. ''So we think there's a middle ground here.
''We just don't know what it is.''
Comments
Click here to post your comments
Akron, Oh
Posted 07:09 PM, 05/02/2009
Little ole Lakemore and Springfield lead the way again for saving the taxpayers from taking it in the pocket. No more tax increases - we just need to say NO. Make due with you have because we just can't stand any more taxes... period!
Stow, Oh
Posted 07:24 PM, 05/02/2009
Probably 90% of the calls to 911 were unnecessary and should have come through an administrative number.
rootstown, oh
Posted 09:07 PM, 05/02/2009
why would green residents be calling 911 more than 55 times a day?if that is true then they need to be charged more.that is ridiculous.
Cuyahoga Falls, OH
Posted 09:34 PM, 05/02/2009
@Common.....Folks in Lakemore and Springfield are generally more "grounded" and well-armed.
Green is yuppie Xanadu.....as it were...
Andy Griffith and Barney could go away and nobody would likely notice in Lakemore.
Green would be in the paper every other day about their recyclable aluminum cans being stolen from the curb!!
Youngstown, OH
Posted 09:38 PM, 05/02/2009
Exactly right,
I brought this up to people in my area about charging for 911 calls. Most common response received: "Why should someone have to pay if there is an emergency." You guys are right, 90% or more 911 calls are non-emergency and down right BS such as, "my kid is acting up, can you send an officer to talk to him"? It's simple, make a list of "emergency calls" that would be legit and then if a call falls outside of that, charge them!
Cuyahoga Falls, OH
Posted 10:45 PM, 05/02/2009
OUCH!!
I just re-read.
Did I miss something, or am I to understand that the taxpayer and loved-ones lives depend on a dispatcher making 33K?
Again, OUCH!!!
somewhere near you, OH
Posted 07:41 AM, 05/03/2009
Simple solution, start giving the idiots who call the system with non-emergencies a large fine.
Why doesn't common sense enter the minds of our great elected officials even ONCE in a while?
Akron, OH
Posted 07:54 AM, 05/03/2009
{{{''Imagine being an elected official and asking voters for a half a million dollars and telling them they're getting nothing, zero, nada, in return for that money}}}
Akron's city hall hero could take heed of this comment where his spendin' of city tax dollars are concerned.
The 911 system is a product of social engineerin', from back in the heady days of the Federal Superfunds.
Increased call numbers brought more of the Superfunds to a given area, therefore, the politicians of those days, made sure that sum-buddy responded to every single call, to keep their numbers high.
Then the Superfunds dried up and the communities were left with findin' other avenues to fund their now overburdened 911 systems.
I say go back to the days when calls were screened and not every call deserved sum-buddy to come out and hold sum-buddy's hand.
Tallmadge, OH
Posted 08:00 AM, 05/03/2009
This is a budget buster for those cities and townships served and a budget maker for the sheriff. They need to tell him we don't need your stickin servcie, we'll get our own departments going and to heck with you and your dispatcher fees. NO tax increases !!!!
akron, oh
Posted 08:40 AM, 05/03/2009
Ask a policeman or a police chief.....they will tell you that 98-99 percent of all 911 calls are non-emergency. About 75 percent of the non-emergency calls for service could be handled over the telephone. Police get so bogged down with repeat calls from only 5 percent of the population that they can't provide service / patrols to the tax paying citizens. Police administration and city officials have known this fact for over 20 years, but will not address the problem. The repeat callers who cost taxpayers the most money need to be charged financially and maybe even charged criminally.
Posted 08:51 AM, 05/03/2009
Northfield calculates to $12.49 per hour and Green to $10.41. That sounds pretty reasonable for 24 hour 365 day law enforcement.
akron, oh
Posted 09:10 AM, 05/03/2009
@toby galownia - how did you calculate your numbers? They seem way low to me.
For Northfield: 5 deputies at 40 hours per week and 52 weeks per year divided into the city payment = $547,055/(5x40x52)= $52.60 per hour.
I would imagine the Green calculation works out much the same.
North Canton, OH
Posted 10:00 AM, 05/03/2009
First of all - I don't live in Summit County, so I have no dog in this fight.
Second - toby galownia did the following math to arrive at his numbers: Contract total (last year for Green, this year for Northfield) divided by 365 days, further divided by 24 hours. Then he divided that number by the number of deputies in each contract. This makes sense if a contract for 5 deputies means there will be 5 deputies on duty 24 hours a day. However, I suspect the contract for 5 deputies means that 5 full time deputies are assigned to that municipality.
You would likely be much better served to divide the contract total by the number of deputies. In Green, that would be $1.78 million / 17 for $104,705 per deputy including dispatch, training, vehicle expenses, support and, of course, the deputy's salary and benefits. The story spells out that Green is going to be charged $173,000 for dispatching. This is just over $10,000 per deputy or $8.56 per 911 call. To me, $8.56 per call seems reasonable. $10,000 per deputy seems rather high. Perhaps the 20,200 911 calls include fire/EMS calls? If that is the case, and if I lived in Summit County, I'd sure be asking about that.
Either way, it looks like the Sheriff is charging about $94,500 to keep a full time deputy on the streets. Is that high? I guess that's up to all of you up north to decide. It seems a little high to me, but not astronomical.
County sheriff departments have a responsibility to provide police protection to unincorporated areas of their county. I can understand when a township says, "hey, we want more police protection than we would get if you divided up your deputies across the whole county." But what I have seen happen in other communities is that a township with a contract such as this soon loses all of its normal patrols and only has its contracted ones. Which is a pretty good deal for everyone except the taxpayers in the contracted township.
Akron, Oh
Posted 10:02 AM, 05/03/2009
The cities, villages & townships need to look at alternatives such as contracting with law enforcement agencies other than the sheriff's department for police protection & dispatch services- A little healthy economic competition will bring the prices back in line.
Posted 10:05 AM, 05/03/2009
The Sheriff's Office seems intent on running the office as a revenue producer. How in the world can anyone rightfully believe that dispatching services are separate from patrol services?
Buesher is right on the money.
Also, as a Hudson resident I frequently go through Twinsburg to work in Cleveland. If I am in an accident there a Twinsburg resident has to pay for my 911 call?
More government "leaders" fleecing the public. Next, the paper to print reports and dog food for the K-9 Unit that gets up there about twice a year. Oh, and don't forget the pooper scooper!
Posted 10:34 AM, 05/03/2009
Sheriff's in other parts of Ohio have also tried to turn the office into a "money maker". Ottawa county wants to charge the fisherman for rescueing them from Lake Erie this winter. A job they were hired to do. A job that tax payers in Ottawa County already paid for. In Ross County the Sheriff wanted to up the patrol prices by $100K during a biker event. He went so far as to say it was to protect the Harley Davidson riders from terrorists. What terrorist in his right mind would try and attack a biker event. That would get them to the 17 virgins and 2 bushel baskets of grapes real fast.
Everyone is into making a killing in government. Enough is enough. No more cash cow in Summit County as we are in a depression. Ask the Chrysler workers who are loosing their gob and Twinsburg who will loose the largest tax producing company in their area.
Mr. Buescher you have your hands full dealing with the money grubbers of Summit County government.
Barberton, Oh
Posted 12:16 PM, 05/03/2009
2008 Summit County Sheriff's Actual Budget, including Actual Contract Costs
http://www.co.summit.oh.us/executive/finandbud.htm
akron, OH
Posted 12:36 PM, 05/03/2009
Law enforcement is one of the biggest socialist programs ever. A well-armed militia would be helpful in exterminating wrongdoers. Just get rid of all taxes, and all the programs they fund, let the strong survive and the weak wither. The stupid constitution is so vague that we need a whole branch of government just to try to interpret it. Do away with government altogether, and let God sort out who deserves to survive and be rewarded.
akron, OH
Posted 12:47 PM, 05/03/2009
Also, I agree with Betamax, the Big BM, that "heed" and "heady" are words.
Akron, Oh
Posted 12:54 PM, 05/03/2009
You think this is bad. Wait until they try to join the Akron Police and the County. Folks in Summit County get ready because it's not going to be cheep. You think it's going up now just wait.
Orrville, Oh
Posted 02:14 PM, 05/03/2009
Why are elected officials shocked? That support Chinese, Foreign and Domestic Investors and Stockholders (money marketers) scamming Sheriff Deputies, 911 dispatchers, Fathers disqualified for affirmative action with white skin, Union workers, consumers, taxpayers, and America’s grandchildren’s children. To pay for more stock dividends (money) they market quarterly in the wholesale and retail price of EVERY product and service Human Beings use for life. Increases cost of living?
Las Vegas , NV
Posted 06:31 PM, 05/03/2009
Im guessing that the 100k is for two salary employees necessary to handle all the calls. If they want to break it down to a per call ratio or say that this comes out of left field then I disagree with the method. They are not charging per call, they are charging for a service that they have provided free of charge in the past and are now passing on the costs as they can no longer afford to. Bottom line is that 911 calls cost money and now the cost is being passed along...how is this news worthy?
Parma, Oh
Posted 06:42 PM, 05/03/2009
RM...that number includes there equipment, vehicles and the gas that got them there.
Las Vegas , NV
Posted 06:46 PM, 05/03/2009
173,000/365/24 hours = 19.74 for hour per dispatch to take 911 calls (including all benefits and taxes). This seems reasonable to me if one county is handling their own. Since they have achieved economy of scales by having one person handle four, five, whatever different counties then this seems high (assuming one person can handle 5 different departments).
On the other hand...
I doubt with the equipment, four full time workers (needed to cover 168 hours a week or avg of 42 hours per person), maybe five after OT considerations, vacation time and sickness 178,000 could not be matched by the city. No symphathy here unless they are changing provisions of a current contract, which would be a whole nother story.
Seems like both sides benefit and services should be rendered.
Make the world a better place... punch a Steeler fan in the face, .
Posted 07:57 PM, 05/03/2009
If Sagamore Hills, Macedonia, Northfield and N. Center can collaborate on a school system, why not just add police, fire and EMS to that?
Pry must not have any private sector experience pushing out a price increase. Needless to say, most customers don't like 12% price increases that pop up in a steady-state environment. It will be much harder to allocate the dispatchers' cost when you lose start getting communities cancelling their service.
Tallmadge, Oh
Posted 08:54 PM, 05/03/2009
The Sheriff isn't adding the bill... it's your Summit County Council that added the dispatch costs. The cost for a deputy includes cruisers, maintenance, swat, crime scene, bike patrol, community policing, detectives, Dare programs, etc.
Coventry, Oh
Posted 06:12 AM, 05/04/2009
Excuse me.... Don't I pay 911 fees for my home phone & cell phone? Aren't these fees distributed to the local 911 call centers as required? Why Sounds like they want to double tax me now...
New Franklin, OH
Posted 02:21 PM, 05/06/2009
I agree. It's like buying a car then finding out the wheels are extra.
So, communities such as Springfield Township and Lakemore Village, which operate their own police forces, already pay for county dispatchers.
I see the problem with that. How many villages and townships in Summit county have that problem or are these the only ones?
I'm thinking there are very few that pay for dispatch but in-fact have their own.
Convince me that the extra money, that above an additional 3-4%, that's going to Summit County is actually going to be given to communities such as Springfield Township and Lakemore Village:-)
Yeh, right!
