Marblehead board opposes regional dispatch center

MARBLEHEAD – Selectmen unanimously oppose joining in a regional dispatch center.Wenham Police Chief Ken Walsh and Topsfield Fire Chief Ron Giovanacci visited the board Wednesday evening seeking Marblehead support for the center they are proposing, which will come before the voters as Article 32 of the warrant for next week’s Town Meeting.Instead, selectmen will recommend indefinite postponement of the article.Earlier this year there were 13 North Shore communities interested in seeking a grant for a regional communication center, including Marblehead, Swampscott, Beverly and Danvers.After four-and-a-half years of study the Center Steering Committee is looking to build on land belonging to the Essex County Jail in Middleton. When the 40-employee center comes online, the communities involved will close their local dispatch centers. Communities who sign on are expected to commit to the program for 10 years."We believe it’s an excellent program. It’s voluntary. If you’re willing to work with the other communities, that’s great," said Giovanacci.Selectman William Woodfin raised three questions: "Can you assure us that this is going to work, is it better than what we have presently and what control do we have over the process?"Walsh told him the center would bring communities on "in waves" and said back-up would be built into the system. Both visitors assured selectmen they would have a chance to join later.Marblehead Police Chief Robert Picariello and Fire Chief Jason Gilliland were unenthusiastic. "It’s a great proposal, but is it right for us?" Picariello said. He told the board he and Gilliland have studied the financial impact and determined that it would cost the town more money unless Picariello closed the police station "a certain number of hours per week."The police chief pointed out that dispatchers do more than answer phones and he was apprehensive about losing that."At this time it wouldn’t make sense for us," said Town Administrator Tony Sasso, warning the board that, "At some point we’re going to have to make an investment in (updating) the dispatch center."Danvers Selectmen Chairman Keith Lucy said his town is looking at a nearly $700,000 upgrade for a four-station dispatch center and the 12-station regional center is expected to cost more than $7 million, 10 times the expense to get three times the dispatchers.Lucy also questioned whether the 40 dispatchers at the regional center could cover the region’s 220,000 people. "If you increase the staff the savings go," he said.