HomeMy Public PortalAbout12/17/1996 specialCity of Greencastle
• City Hall
Four East Walnut Street
Greencastle, Indiana 46135
Pamela S. Jones
Clerk- Treasurer
GREENCASTLE CONINION COUNCIL
SPECIAL SESSION
TUESDAY, DECENIBER 17, 1996 5:15 P.M. TZOUANAKIS INTERNIEDIATE
The Greencastle Common Council met in Special Session Tuesday, December 17, 1996, 5:15
p.m. at Tzouanakis Intermediate School. Mayor Michael called the meeting to order. On the
Roll Call, the following were found to be present: Councilor Hammer. Councilor Green,
Councilor Baynard and Councilor Masten. Councilor Roach was absent. Mayor Michael asked
everyone to join in the Pledge of Allegiance. Mayor Michael welcomed everyone and stated that
the purpose of this meeting is to review the 91 1 stuciv complied by 91 1 Director Dave Costin and
discuss the pros and cons of consolidating the services of 9 11 and the Greencastle City Dispatch.
Councilor Baynard asked Police Chief Jack Hanlon how consolidatine these services would
effect his department. Chief Hanlon replied that it would effect almost every aspect of !its
department from investigations to protection of officers and citizens and the security of City
Hall. The Greencastle Citv Police Department is a 24 hour department basically because of
• dispatch and that would not be the case if 911 and Greencastle Dispatch were consolidated.
Citizens can walk in and make a complaint now, that could not happen in 9l 1. Services are also
provided for the Citv Department, Water Department, Sewer Department and Fire
Department.
Councilor Masten asked if dispatchers were police officers. Chief Hanlon stated that thev are
not, but it is human contact and they can soothe and comfort and get a police officer there
immediately. Councilor Masten asked if this couldn't be done at the Courthouse. Chief Hanlon
replied that it could not. You can't even get into 911. Councilor Masten stated that the purpose
tonight is to get an analysis - talk to everyone and see if services can be consolidated to give
services needed and save money. Jim Hendrich, former Police Chief and Assistant Chief, stated
that we've "been there, done that and have the T- Shirt". All the questions you're asking have
been asked before - saving money, merging systems, etc. Greencastle can create a 911 district
and collect the 91 1 fees from the users of the Citv of Greencastle to help fund the dispatch
center. This is how 911 pays for their machinery and employees. From a liability stand point,
offering services, etc., we need to keep the Citv Police Department open - but there is still the
funding problem. Mr. Hendrich continued, when 911 was first proposed, Greencastle was going
to apply for all monies collected in the corporate limits which amounts to approximately
598,000.00 per year. Greencastle gave up that money for services provided through 911. What
are we getting for this money? What control do we have over the money that is contributed if
we consolidate?
• Councilor Masten asked "How do we accomplish control over the $1.92 per month paid through
phone bills by City residents "' City Attorney Zeiner stated that he did not have that answer. Mr.
" H e n d r i c h s t a t e d t h a t i t i s a s k i n g a l o t o f o n e p e r s o n t o h a v e t h e m h a n d l e a l l t h e c a l l s f r o m
C o u n t y a n d C i t y s e r v i c e s w i t h a p o s s i b l e f a i l u r e o f t h e s y s t e m . S i n c e t h e i n c e p t i o n o f 9 1 1 a l l
l a w e n f o r c e m e n t d e p a r t m e n t s h a v e g r o w n p l u s a d d i t i o n a l l a w e n f o r c e m e n t h a s b e e n a d d e d i n
a r e a s s u c h a s R o a c h d a l e a n d B a i n b r i d g e . C o u n c i l o r M a s t e n a s k e d D a v e C o s t i n , D i r e c t o r o f 9 1 1 ,
w h a t t h e c i t i z e n s o f G r e e n c a s t l e g e t f o r t h e i r S 1 . 9 2 p e r m o n t h . M r . C o s t i n s t a t e d t h a t 5 5 % o f t h e
c a l l s r e c e i v e d t h r o u g h 9 1 1 a r e f i r e a n d a m b u l a n c e c a l l s f o r c i t i z e n s i n t h e C i t y l i m i t s . T h o s e
c a l l s a r e p a s s e d o n t o C i t y d i s p a t c h . I f y o u w a n t t o p u r s u e f u n d i n g f r o m 9 1 1 , M r . C o s t i n
c o n t i n u e d , y o u w i l l h a v e t o a p p r o a c h t h e C o u n t y C o u n c i l . C o u n c i l o r M a s t e n s t a t e d t h a t t h e
o b j e c t i v e i s n o t t o g e t r i d o f C i t y D i s p a t c h o r t o t a k e m o n e y f r o m 9 1 1 , b u t t h e c i t i z e n s o f
G r e e n c a s t l e a r e p a y i n g t w i c e . W e w a n t t o c o o p e r a t e w i t h t h e C o u n t y , b u t a l s o w a n t t o g e t t h e
m o s t f o r t h e t a x p a y e r s m o n e y . M r . H e n d r i c h e n c o u r a g e d t h e C o u n c i l t o v i s i t P l a i n f i e l d 9 1 1
s u b s t a t i o n s w i t h i n t h e 9 1 1 d i s t r i c t . D a v e C o s t i n s t a t e d t h a t s u b s c r i b e r f e e s w o u l d h a v e t o b e
i n c r e a s e d i n o r d e r f o r t h e C i t y t o r e c e i v e p a r t o f t h e m o n i e s . M r . H e n d r i c h s t a t e d t h a t s u b
d i s t r i c t s a r e e n t i t l e t o r a t e s a s t h e y e x i s t , t h e y a r e f r e e s t a n d i n g . M r . H e n d r i c h f u r t h e r s t a t e d t h a t
t h i s w h o l e i s s u e i s d i s r u p t i v e t o e v e r y o n e - t h e C o u n t y , t h e C i t y , e t c . C o - m i n g l i n g w i t h s o m a n y
o t h e r e n t i t i e s w i t h d i f f e r e n t p o l i c i e s , e t c , c a n n o t b e d o n e . F u n d t h e d i s p a t c h a p p r o p r i a t e l y a n d
g e t o u t o f t h i s d i s c u s s i o n o n c e a n d f o r a l l . C o u n c i l o r M a s t e n s t a t e d t h a t f o r f i v e v e a r s w e h a v e
b e e n f u n d i n g 9 1 1 - G r e e n c a s t l e D i s p a t c h g e t s c a l l s t h a t d o n o t g o t h r o u g h 9 1 1 , I f 9 0 % o f o u r
c a l l a r e o n o u r l i n e s a n d 1 0 % g o t h r o u g h 9 1 l - w e a r e n '