Riverview to Decide On Combined Dispatch Before Deadline

The clock is ticking for Riverview mayor Tim Durand and city council members to make a decision as to whether or not they intend to combine dispatch and lockup facilities with Trenton.

In an effort to make the decision before the state mandated cut-off date, Durand scheduled a special meeting for 6 p.m. Feb. 27 at Tuesday's study session at Riverview City Hall.

The City of in the amount of $239,750 to update the prisoner lockup facility and to assist in creating a combined dispatch center with the City of Riverview.

A plan for the inter-local agreement with the two cities must be approved by both city councils by March 5 before going forward with the project according to Nardone.

If Trenton officials do not find a city willing to combine services, they must give the grant back to the state.

Durand and Riverview council members met with Chief Jim Nardone, Fire Chief Bruce Vick and Riverview Police and Fire Chief Don Ginestet at the study session to discuss specifics relating to combining services.

The unification of services would be a joint effort from both cities, and each city would have equal control, though the central dispatch and lock up services would be located at Trenton Police Department according to Nardone.

"Our main goal is to serve the citizens ... and that's way we've been talking to Riverview," Nardone said.

The new dispatch would include all emergency services for both cities including police and fire services. Riverview officials recently combined police and fire services within the city.

Nardone and Ginestet discussed how the new operation would work:

• Nardone would oversee the day-to-day operation of the new dispatch, but any changes made to protocol or staffing would require an agreement from both cities.
• Both cities would share costs equally.
• Two part-time, non-union employees with emergency training, one from Riverview and one from Trenton, would take over as dispatchers for both cities.

Nardone said there would not be any initial layoffs.

"We want your employees," Nardone said. "We have no intention of getting rid of any employees at this point."

The entire cost of the physical transition would be paid for using grant money. A large portion of the money would be used to update the prisoner lock up facility at Trenton Police Department.

Riverview receives about 14,000 emergency calls per year and Trenton receives about 18,000.

Both Trenton and Riverview stand to save about $40,000 each in overtime costs by combining services.