During a City of Smithville budget work session last Tuesday night, 911 Director Brad Mullinax asked that the city increase its annual contribution by $45,000, Smithville Police Chief Mark Collins, Public Works Director Kevin Robinson, and Fire Chief Charlie Parker also made budget requests for the 2020-21 year during the work session.
Due to increased call volume to E-911 over the last 15 years, Mullinax is looking to hire more dispatchers. He asked that the City of Smithville increase its contribution $119,000 to $164,000. He presented the same request during the county’s work session on Thursday night.
In 2005, the DCECD (E-911) central dispatch center was established to provide emergency and non-emergency communications services for the county and the cities of Smithville and Alexandria. It is governed by a seven member board currently made up of members Brandon Cox, Sabrina Farler, Jerry Scott, Josh Tramel, Billy Adcock, Chris Russell, and Jeff Barnes. When calls come in to the center, dispatchers alert city police and sheriff’s department officers, DeKalb EMS, as well as city and county fire departments to respond. Under the inter-local agreement, the cities and county make annual payments to support the DCECD operation. The district also receives funding from surcharges assessed to residential and business landline telephone subscribers for 911 services as authorized by the state. The DCECD is also responsible for assigning addresses and naming roads when necessary to conform with state standards for 911 mapping.
The DCECD currently employs nine dispatchers, two per shift. Plans are to add to four more dispatchers in order to have three per shift. In order to do that the city and county would need to each increase their contribution while the DCECD would fund the rest.
Mullinax said call volume within the last 15 years has almost doubled and more dispatchers would better serve the public.
In 2006 there were 10,814 calls and in 2019 the annual call volume was 19,406. That is about a 90% increase in call volume over 15 years.
During that time agencies have also expanded as well. We now have a part time or a combination type fire department for the City of Smithville. The Smithville Police Department has doubled its officer coverage since 2005. DeKalb EMS has added an extra EMS unit. There has been two additional National Crime Information Center (NCIC) terminals at 911 for entering warrants added, checking for wanted persons, entering protection orders, and everything else that keeps our community safe. The DeKalb County Fire Department has added two new fire stations and the Sheriff’s Department has about three times the number of deputies now than in 2005 plus they have added a school resource officer at every single school.
DCECD currently staffs two full time dispatchers on every shift and has a swing shift person that works the busiest hours of the day. Additional staff members need to be added on every shift.
The City of Alexandria’s annual contribution to the DCECD was recently increased to $27,000.
More financial help may also be on the way to the DCECD thanks to action taken by the Tennessee General Assembly which has authorized an increase in landline surcharges for 911 services.
Chief Mark Collins is asking the city to budget funds for the purchase of two Dodge Charger patrol cars and he provided options for buying new or pre-owned (less than 50,000 miles) cars. 2017 models are available for $17,950 each and 2018 vehicles may be bought for $19,500 each plus another $7,000 for equipping and the striping the cars to make them road ready. The purchase price under the state contract for 2021 cars is $24,458 each.
Chief Collins said he would like to keep two of the four Ford Explorers and one of the three Ford Crown Victoria’s in the fleet as back up vehicles.
Public Works Director Robinson is asking the city to budget funds to purchase a new chipper truck with bed at almost $60,000 and a Ford F150 pickup truck at $28,000.
Chief Parker is again asking that the city budget funding for “a couple of full time firefighters” as well as extra money for firefighter training and travel.
Parker stated a few extra people had joined the department so the roster has gone up to 29 which means more costs for training. He is asking that this be increased from $5,000 to $7,500.
Chief Parker also asked for a small shift in funding from repairs to supplies to “bump that up from $15,000 to $16,000.
He also wants a new pickup for the department to replace a 14 year old truck with 190,000 miles at a cost of $35,000 which would include the price of the light bar package, striping, etc.
The mayor and aldermen have taken no action yet on any of the requests.
