Wednesday, April 8, 2009

Dispatch dispute resolved for now

Sun Valley agrees to county’s funding model for year


By JON DUVAL
Express Staff Writer

After about a year since Blaine County and the cities within it began looking for a way to fund consolidated dispatch services, the contentious negotiations have finally concluded—at least for a year.

At a special meeting on Monday afternoon, the Sun Valley City Council unanimously approved a funding model to pay the salaries and benefits of emergency dispatchers at the county's consolidated dispatch center in Hailey for fiscal year 2010.

The approval came three weeks after the council rejected the same funding model on the grounds that it charged Sun Valley taxpayers more than their fair share. All the other municipalities in the county have agreed to the formula, though Ketchum city officials also expressed some concern.

The formula, which Sun Valley officials have vocally opposed, breaks down the shares each fire district and municipality would pay for emergency dispatch services by the number of addresses in each jurisdiction. Under that plan, Hailey will pay $138,898 and Bellevue $28,569 next year. Sun Valley and Ketchum will pay $112,098 and $164,173, respectively.

Previously, Sun Valley had maintained that the most equitable method would be to charge each city based on the annual number of calls to emergency dispatch. Under that plan, Sun Valley's cost would be significantly lower, while that of Hailey would be higher.

The service is being funded this year under a compromise version of that method.

County Commissioner Larry Schoen was on hand at the meeting to request that the city agree to the address-based formula for fiscal 2010 and use that time to work out a more sustainable method.

"I understand your frustration," Schoen said of Sun Valley's attempts to rework the model. "We want everyone to recognize the value of the service and for the funding formula to be stable year after year without having to keep going through this."

In a letter to the council last Thursday, Schoen outlined the plan, in which he would ask for a users group, comprised primarily of first responder agency representatives, to look into various funding models and how they affect dispatch service. It was a similar users group that originally came up with the calls-for-service plan that was met with stiff opposition from Hailey and Bellevue.

"The goal is to become equipped with greater understanding and acceptance by all of what we are trying to accomplish, going forward," Schoen wrote in his letter.

As well, Schoen said the county will ask the Idaho attorney general for advice on how to best collect fees for a consolidated dispatch system.

Finally, he asked that all cities and the county continue to look for budgetary efficiencies to allow for a constant source of funding for the service.

Despite their approval, Sun Valley council members were still hesitant, noting that the agreement is far from perfect in their eyes.

"It's hard to accept because there's no incentive for other members to be more cost effective," Council President Nils Ribi said. "We need to know that we're working to get to a better model down the road. I see this as just buying another year."

Ribi said a major priority for Sun Valley will be to have a joint powers agreement in place for the consolidated dispatch before heading into the 2011 fiscal year. Such an agreement would outline the governance of the system.

Jon Duval: jduval@mtexpress.com




 Local Weather 
Search archives:


Copyright © 2024 Express Publishing Inc.   Terms of Use   Privacy Policy
All Rights reserved. Reproduction in whole or in part in any form or medium without express written permission of Express Publishing Inc. is prohibited. 

The Idaho Mountain Express is distributed free to residents and guests throughout the Sun Valley, Idaho resort area community. Subscribers to the Idaho Mountain Express will read these stories and others in this week's issue.