Farmington Hills Officials Approve Dispatch Agreement Framework

An agreement expected to save the $100,000 annually on the cost of public safety dispatch is on its way to the negotiating table. 

officials Monday approved the framework of an agreement to provide dispatch for , at a cost of $210,000 in the first two years of a 5-year agreement. They also authorized the city manager and city attorney to hammer out the details of the plan with their counterparts in Farmington. 

Council member Randy Bruce said the proposal to combine dispatch came out of a task force that includes representatives of the two cities and .

He said the idea behind the task force was "anything that saved one of the entities money", even if it was only a break-even proposition for the others, "we were going to pursue." 

Assistant city manager Dana Whinnery said the agreement will reduce the total number of full-time dispatchers for the two communities. In addition to Farmington's savings, he said, the use of part-time dispatchers is expected to save on over-time costs for Farmington Hills. 

Also, Whinnery said, the cities have been awarded a $150,000 grant to cover the costs of equipment upgrades and training dispatchers. "The grant will expire if we don't move quickly," he said.

The framework provides for the agreement to renew every year, with the amount Farmington pays to increase each year by 2 percent or the Consumer Price Index rate, whichever is less. The $210,000 price holds for the first two years, however. 

Either party may end the agreement with 18 months' notice, and the agreement could be reassigned to another community with 18 months' notice. The City of Farmington would have the right to approve any reassignment, under the proposed framework. 

Whinnery said the final negotiated agreement will be brought back to Hills officials May 14 for approval, which is "in time to ensure the grant does not expire." Farmington officials will also have to review and approve the agreement.

, Farmington council members voted to move forward with the interlocal agreement, from more than 50 residents who attended the meeting.