HAMPDEN – Hampden Board of Selectmen Chair Donald Davenport began the April 13 meeting, conducted via Zoom in consideration of the COVID-19 outbreak, with a history of the debate on regionalizing emergency dispatch. Hampden is considering a partnership with Chicopee-based regional dispatch system WESTCOMM.

Of the 101 towns in the four Western Massachusetts counties, 76 of them have a regionalized dispatch service.

Options and Savings

Davenport said that in 2014 the towns of East Longmeadow, Longmeadow, Hampden and Wilbraham considered forming a regionalized dispatch system, though no steps were taken to implement one.

In 2017, the town voted down a regionalized system with the City of Chicopee. The next year though, the town approved $351,000 to partner with East Longmeadow. That regionalization plan eventually fell through, as well.

Davenport said that the dispatch system costs the town approximately $403,000 per year. If the town were to partner with WESTCOMM, he said there would be no municipal cost for three years. The town would pay approximately $50,000 during the fourth year, increasing each year to $100,000 in the year six.

The chair recognized costs associated with unemployment to local dispatchers and keeping the police station manned would cut into the $400,000 savings in the first year.

Davenport told the residents participating in the meeting that the select board has tried to be as transparent about the regionalization question as possible and, as such, has conducted two public meetings with WESTCOMM.

WESTCOMM is not the only option the town is considering. Interim Town Administrator Bob Markel reached out to Wilbraham to suggest a regional partnership. That town’s Board of Selectmen is currently discussing the proposal.

Hampden dispatcher Kelsey Green said the cost of keeping the station open at night means the town would not see the full $400,000 of savings in any year. Additionally, she said officers might ask for more money in their contracts because they’re working conditions may change with the dispatch adjustment.

Davenport estimated the actual savings in the first year would be approximately $150,000 to $200,000 and that most years would see a savings of between $200,000 and $250,000.

To the people who were wondering what savings would mean to their wallets, select board member John Flynn said it would be approximately $50 to $60 per year in property taxes on an average house in town.

Green argued that the savings, which comes from grants that the Massachusetts State 911 offers, are not guaranteed.

Erin Hastings, director of WESTCOMM, explained how the grant program works. Development grants are used to create infrastructure in a town and an incentive grant used to absorb municipal costs early in the regional partnership. In response to a question from Green, Hastings said the grants are funded by 911 fees on cell phone bills and an account and would not be impacted by the pandemic-driven economic downturn.

To join with WESTCOMM and take advantage of the grants, Hampden would have to apply by May 4.

“The only gun to our head is that May 4 deadline,” said Flynn.

Green suggested waiting since the development grants can be applied for yearly, but Hastings cautioned that there may not be enough space in WESTCOMM’s current facility next year as more towns are joining the system.

Reviews

Opinions on the service from WESTCOMM differ drastically depending on who is asked. Markel reported that Lyn Simmons, the town manager of Longmeadow, had shared a positive review of WESTCOMM, which the town partnered with last year.

Green countered that police in Longmeadow she had spoken to have had negative reports of the dispatch service, including response times and mixing up street names. In one case a dispatcher allegedly alerted someone to a police raid before it happened. Hastings said she had never heard of that complaint and was sure that she would have.

It should be noted that both Green and Markel’s accounts are second hand information.

Tina Albano, another Hampden dispatcher, said that people who are unfamiliar with the area may have issues with addresses, but Hastings explained that local police and fire departments who are familiar with the town would be responding to calls, as usual.

“I would prefer that if I call 911 that someone in Wilbraham would be answering the call rather than someone from Chicopee,” Green commented.

Board of Selectmen member Mary Ellen Glover said the issue is mostly communication between the people and the board, which has been made more difficult by social distancing regulations.

Glover said the town's vote has been “inconsistent” and whether the town wants to go out of the community for dispatch is an open question. She characterized Green's comments as “anecdotal information” and cautioned against an emotional reaction.

“I know that everyone is more comfortable keeping services in town but difficult decisions come with being a selectman,” said Glover. She said people raise their hands at town meetings for big ticket items without considering how to pay for them.

“The assumption is that the town has a choice,” Markel said. “It's clear that the Commonwealth is going to force small communities to consolidate.” He estimated the state’s time table was within one to two years.

“If we’re going to be forced into it by the state, which I think they are, shouldn’t we go when there’s money attached?” Glover asked.

Flynn advocated for waiting to hear from Wilbraham before making any decision.

Police chief Jeff Farnsworth said the service chiefs in the town's WESTCOMM serves seem to be pleased with the service. At the same time, he praised the job done by the dispatchers in town.

“It comes down to money. If the people wish to pay for it, the town is getting a good service now,” Farnsworth said.

Transparency

Resident Jim Smith said there is a lot of hearsay and people who feel dispatch has not been discussed with the public. He asked the board to hold off on a decision until it can be voted on at town meeting.

Albino agreed. She said the select board “owes it to the town” to discuss dispatch at a town meeting and does not want people to feel “railroaded.”

All members of board said they had intended to conduct a public meeting similar to the one in January regarding the transfer station and ambulance service but, due to the COVID-19 outbreak, it has not been possible.

That said, Flynn asserted, “this is under the purview of the select board.”

The board agreed to hold off on the vote until their next meeting at the earliest and to put more information out to residents. Markel confirmed that he will verify that May 4 is a firm deadline and work up a cost analysis for all possible options.

While Glover wanted a commitment from the other members of the select board to vote at the next meeting, Flynn resisted until that information was available.