Township Officials Look at Numbers For Shared Dispatch

The Washington Township Mayor and Council continued discussing possible options for a shared emergency dispatching service during their meeting this week.

According to Mayor Janet Sobkowicz, it would cost Westwood and Washington Township each about $124,505 in operating costs for the first year of a based in the . With a 2 percent increase each year, it would be about $656,245 total per town for the next five years. Westwood officials have said they would prefer to get the dispatching out of their department.

The towns are also considering joining the Bergen County Dispatch. According to Councilman Steve Cascio, Leonia, which has a population close to Washington Township, pays $154,998 per year for county dispatching services and Leonia officials told him they save an estimated $360,000 per year by using the service.

If the two towns decided to join the county dispatch together, it would cost each town $182,040 per year for the next five years for a total of $910,200 each before the rate goes up. Emergency officials from both towns have said they would , though township council members said Monday they would like to see more data about local response times. Officials are also expecting a report this week from emergency responders detailing their concerns and needs for maintaining services.

"That's the meat and potatoes," Council President Richard Hrbek said about the emergency responders' needs. Officials in both towns have said maintaining service is their priority.

Another option, to create a new Pascack Valley Dispatch that also includes River Vale and Old Tappan, still has some costs to be determined, as the facility would require new equipment and a space to house it. Officials had also discussed the possibility of , but council members said this week they do not consider it a likely solution.

The towns have been for shared dispatch since last fall.

"We do have a few bumps here and there, but we're getting there," Sobkowicz said.