Promotional push on for 911 center

By HEIDI DESCH / Hungry Horse News

An information campaign on Flathead County's proposed consolidated 911 dispatch center is currently picking up steam.

The Flathead Business and Industry Association is actively campaigning for approval of a bond levy that would fund building the center. The issue will be on the Nov. 4 ballot.

The Flathead County 911 Dispatch and Emergency Coordination Center is a proposed consolidation of area dispatch centers and the Office of Emergency Services under one roof. In order to fund the construction costs for building the center, the county is asking for a $6.9 million bond levy.

FBIA is a business-oriented group that advocates for better government, according to its executive director Denise Smith.

Governments are not legally allowed to spend money on ballot measures to raise funds for themselves, so this is where FBIA comes in. FBIA can accept donations and handle campaign expenses associated with promotion.

"We're behind this because its a long-term investment in the future," Smith said.

She said FBIA is promoting the levy because the group feels the center will save the community money in the long run.

FBIA has created yellow yard signs featuring a youngster in a red cape and goggles with the message "Dial-A-Hero 911 Saves Lives!"

Also, brochures explaining the center and the reasons behind its creation are being distributed. Information can also be found on a newly created Web site at www.flathead911center.com.

Smith also noted that the group is organizing presentations on the 911 center to local organizations.

Mark Peck, Flathead County 911 director, spoke to the Flathead County Pachyderm Club last week. The talk was the first given on the center.

Peck presented an overview of the planned center, the cost of constructing the building and the information on the levy.

Currently, there are four dispatch centers in the county — the county center operated by the Sheriff's Office, and centers in Kalispell, Whitefish and Columbia Falls. Now, calls all come into the Sheriff's Office and then are transferred as needed.

The new system would put all dispatching under one roof. The building would be about 11,800 square feet and be located near Glacier High School in Kalispell. Included would be a four-bay equipment cache storage for emergency equipment that is currently stored scattered across the county.

Improved computer-aided dispatching centers and improvement to radio systems are also planned.

Peck said consolidation will shave several minutes off emergency response time.

"Three minutes doesn't seem like much, but I can tell you that when you're laying on the living room floor (needing help) that time is huge," he said.

Dispatchers are dealing with increasing workload. Last year there were a combined 101,000 events responded to from the county and three cities.

Actual numbers of calls is much higher, because dispatchers may receive multiple phone calls about one event.

Equipment for the upgrades is being paid for through various grants, but funding to construct a building is necessary to use that equipment. The $6.9 million figure is for the construction and furnishing of the building and has been estimated high to account for increases in material and other costs.

Peck said he expects costs to actually be under the $6.9 million estimate.

"I'll guarantee that we'll do everything we can to come in under that," he said. "We didn't want to pass a smaller levy and then not have enough money. This can get this thing done for less than $6.9 million."

If approved the levy would translate to a property tax of $12.44 on a home with a $200,000 assessed value.