MN House Panel Passes $10M Package for Regional Comm Center in Plymouth

A Minnesota House of Representatives committee approved a bill earlier this month that would officially direct $10.3 million in bonding funds toward the new Hennepin County regional communications center in Plymouth.

See: Ground Breaks on Hennepin County's $30 Million Emergency Comm Center (Feb. 25, 2013)

Here is an account of the April 3, 2013 action at the House Public Safety Finance and Policy Committee by Mike Cook at Session Daily:

The Hennepin County regional communications center was built in 1948. While still operational, the facility no longer meets the needs of the ever-changing technology, nor does it provide enough space for employees to work.

“An independent consultant last year told us that both practically and operationally the current building is a liability to the county and does not serve the technology that we have,” said Capt. Jim Bayer of the Hennepin County Sheriff’s Department.

Sponsored by Rep. Lyndon Carlson Sr. (DFL-Crystal), HF557 would appropriate $10.3 million in bond proceeds to help build a new regional 911 emergency communications center. Two years ago, the state provided $4.7 million toward the $33.75 million project that has regional and statewide significance. County funds are to cover the remainder of project costs.

Approved Wednesday by the House Public Safety Finance and Policy Committee, the bill was sent to the House Capital Investment Committee.

A companion, SF502, sponsored by Sen. Jeff Hayden (DFL-Mpls), awaits action by the Senate Finance Committee.

There was no land acquisition cost because the facility is to be constructed on county-owned property adjacent to its workhouse in Plymouth. The current facility is located in a residential area in Golden Valley.

“We run the largest consolidated dispatch center in the Upper Midwest,” Bayer said. “We provide dispatch services for 36 different communities which are served by 20 fire departments and 24 police departments. Over the last several years we handled between 600,000 and 700,000 for service a year.”

In addition to providing uninterrupted service, the facility will remain home to part of the state’s emergency radio network system.

“We have reduced the overall scope of the building and the project costs, while we’ve tried to ensure we’re building a facility that will meet the needs of our citizens now and provide for some capacity for growth as different communities want to come on board our system,” said Hennepin County Board Chair Mike Opat.