There is just too much upside for San Benito County supervisors
to pass on the proposed consolidation of 911 dispatch services with
Santa Cruz County.
There is just too much upside for San Benito County supervisors to pass on the proposed consolidation of 911 dispatch services with Santa Cruz County.
With the release of a report last week detailing the potential savings involved, around $350,000 annually after the first couple of years, supervisors can rest at ease knowing local taxpayers would get a significant break while the quality of communication should remain at least on par with current services.
Of course, the big upside to the deal is the savings, much needed due to the recession and declining revenues for local governments. Since Hollister and San Juan Bautista already contract with San Benito County for 911 dispatch services, they would see tremendous savings to their respective general funds. The total cost right now for both cities is around $1 million per year.
There doesn’t appear to be much downside, meanwhile, in the agreement. Some opponents with the dispatchers union surfaced when the county first decided to study the option – while expressing concerns about lacking knowledge of the area by out-of-town responders – but those worries largely have been quelled. Any initial reluctance has all but disappeared likely because Santa Cruz County has committed to hiring most of the San Benito County dispatchers.
Lacking opposition is a good thing because the move is a natural fit for San Benito County. Santa Cruz County already contracts with a half-dozen agencies in providing dispatch services, so it has been through the transition and knows the speed bumps involved.
But there are other, more subtle benefits. Santa Cruz County dispatchers are trained to offer some medical assistance over the phone. Santa Cruz would take on any further unfunded retirement benefits. And that county has a much more advanced computer system, while San Benito County would have to spend thousands of dollars in the next few years to upgrade its own.
Contracting with Santa Cruz County for 911 dispatching is a smart move and reflects the need for bold reform in spending at the local levels. Anytime you’re dealing with a 24/7 operation such as 911 dispatching, it makes a lot of sense to consider finding the most efficient economies of scale. A recent example at the City of Hollister was the wastewater treatment plant, which now is managed by a private firm. Hollister also is considering the idea of contracting for police services with the San Benito County Sheriff’s Office.
By contracting with Santa Cruz for 911 dispatch, San Benito County would not just save money that could go toward other necessary services, but it also would experience an improvement in the overall quality of public safety.
