San Benito supervisors examine consolidation with Santa Cruz
County
For the first time Tuesday, the San Benito County Board of
Supervisors heard the possible benefits and issues in possibly
transferring 911 emergency response services to Santa Cruz
County.
The report, which was presented in draft form to the board,
outlines savings that could exceed $350,000 per year and presents
no issues in regard to time delays or loss of 911 services.
San Benito supervisors examine consolidation with Santa Cruz County
For the first time Tuesday, the San Benito County Board of Supervisors heard the possible benefits and issues in possibly transferring 911 emergency response services to Santa Cruz County.
The report, which was presented in draft form to the board, outlines savings that could exceed $350,000 per year and presents no issues in regard to time delays or loss of 911 services.
The annual savings of the combined services would be $97,450 for the county and an additional $260,447 for the city, according to the report. The savings are expected to grow after the first two years, after transition costs are exhausted.
The transition and startup costs that would create additional phone lines in Santa Cruz and expand on the Santa Cruz located dispatch center by 6.5 full-time equivalent positions, according to the report. The cost could range from around $370,000 to $445,000.
The report comes after the county approached Santa Cruz Regional 9-1-1 in September to research the feasibility of transferring the services to the nearby county to save money. Dispatchers who are members of the local Service Employees International Union criticized the idea, calling into question the Santa Cruz dispatchers’ knowledge of San Benito County.
A short presentation from Santa Cruz Regional 9-1-1 General Manager Scotty Douglass tried to show the benefits of such a deal, and the ability of the Santa Cruz dispatchers to perform the job for locals.
Douglass said Santa Cruz Regional 9-1-1 would be open to hiring dispatchers from San Benito County – paying them more because of travel cost – and staying true to their current CalPERS benefits.
“Can we do San Benito? Yeah, but we are very happy with the business we have,” Douglass said. “We are trying to help out, trying to be good neighbors.”
Santa Cruz Regional 9-1-1 is a joint power authority that was formed in 1991. It consists of a four-member board of directors and 19 user agencies that includes the police departments of Santa Cruz, Watsonville and Capitola. It also handles emergency calls for fire departments in Santa Cruz County.
Overall, the center handles nearly 500,000 phone calls a year, including 310,000 calls for service and employs 47 workers.
With an annual budget of $4.9 million, the center also is certified to give emergency commands such as helping with CPR, something San Benito County’s dispatcher center can’t, Douglass said.
The addition of San Benito County to the call center would increase calls for service by a little more than 50,000 annually, Douglass said. The county’s dispatch center handles one-sixth of Santa Cruz call center’s calls but employs 18 workers, nearly half of Santa Cruz.
Douglass admitted that the county could look into cutting positions from the dispatch center as an alternative to save money, he said.
The contract with Regional 9-1-1 would be a five-year commitment from the county, according to the report. The contract could be signed by May.
Douglass will give a similar presentation to the Hollister City Council later this month and in February to the Regional 9-1-1 board of directors. Depending on the board of directors’ decision, Douglass will return to Hollister to give a final report.
“It’s not finished yet, but we are getting very, very close,” Douglass said.
Supervisor Jerry Muenzer was hopeful the county could eventually become a member of the board of directors.
For the first five years, the county would not become a member of the board of directors, but will be considered a user.
“It gives you the opportunity to try it out,” Douglass said.
Despite the projected money savings, Muenzer was worried if the numbers were completely accurate.
“I’m very concerned – I’ve seen it before where the county and city turn things over to other people and get low-balled for the first couple of years,” Muenzer said.
Supervisor Anthony Botelho thought this was the right way to eliminate some budget issues and save money, he said.
“Obviously the cities, counties, state, federal government – we are all struggling on how to make ends meet, and I think this is a good approach,” he said. “The only way to get through these times is developing partnerships … I think we really, really should be moving in this direction.”
