Swampscott’s Maylor recommends police, fire dispatch pact with Salem

SWAMPSCOTT – The town is moving forward with pulling the plug on its fire dispatch agreement with Lynn and entering into an agreement with Salem for fire and police dispatch.Town Administrator Andrew Maylor recommended Wednesday night that the town enter into an agreement with the city of Salem to handle its dispatch duties.The police department currently handles its own dispatch and Lynn Fire Department has been dispatching Swampscott Fire since 1994.Town officials have been working for almost five years on an agreement to enter into a long-term contract with the proposed Essex County Regional Dispatch in Middleton for emergency dispatch services, but Maylor said entering into an agreement with Salem would give the town a better bang for its buck.”We have been involved in regional dispatch discussions for several years,” Maylor said. “It was a significant effort that was funded through a grant. Town Meeting voted almost two years ago to allow the town to enter into agreement.”At the request of the selectmen, Maylor explored options for dispatch with neighboring communities including Lynn, Salem and Marblehead.Maylor said he is recommending pursuing a relationship with Salem and he expects an agreement could be in place within a couple of months.He said he expects the agreement with Salem to cost the town $100,000, which is significantly less than what participating in the Middleton dispatch would cost.”The relationship with Lynn on the fire side has been very positive,” Maylor said. “The Lynn folks have done a great job.”He added Lynn offered “added value” by sending equipment but Salem has agreed to do the same. Maylor said Lynn and Salem were both agreeable to housing prisoners from Swampscott as needed as part of the agreement but economically the agreement with Salem made more sense.Maylor said he is not recommending any layoffs in the police department and a change in dispatch does not mean there would not be an officer available at the station at all times.Police Chief Ronald Madigan said there are advantages to handling dispatch in Swampscott but the agreement with Salem is a good compromise.”I’m optimistic that going forward this will be a positive relationship,” he said.Fire Chief Kevin Breen said he has mixed feelings about switching fire dispatch from Lynn to Salem.”I am a proponent of regionalization,” Breen said. “I have been involved with it for 16 years. Personally I am disappointed the department can’t maintain a relationship with Lynn. It’s a new world and we’ll have to adjust. Salem is a fine department.”Maylor said he is taking a two-prong approach to civilian dispatch. He said the agreement with Salem would fill the short-term needs of the town.”I really see this as transitional,” Maylor said. “If we’re going to do this I would like to see a three-community dispatch center.”Maylor said Marblehead and Salem have expressed interest in pursuing grant money to conduct a feasibility study for a stand-alone regional civilian dispatch center.Maylor explained he was not looking for the selectmen to vote until he has hammered out a specific agreement with Salem, which he expects would take a couple of months.Selectman Richard Malagrifa said he appreciates Maylor’s willingness to look at alternatives and come up with an alternative that would meet the needs of the community.”I think it’s a wonderful outcome,” Selectman Jill Sullivan said. “Regionalization is what people see as the future of efficient government.”