Templeton, Gardner weigh emergency dispatch options

Templeton, Gardner weigh emergency dispatch options

Eryn Dion
News Staff Writer

TEMPLETON — The Board of Selectmen is once again looking into regionalizing the 911 dispatch service with Gardner in an effort to save costs. A similar plan was studied over a year ago, with Templeton ultimately opting to decline the chance to enter into a joint arrangement.

However, last month, board Chairman Jeffrey Bennett contacted Gardner Mayor Mark Hawke, asking if the city was still interested in regionalizing. 

According to Mayor Hawke, the move makes sense, especially for a community that has been struggling financially, as previous studies into the feasibility of regionalizing found the town could save a considerable amount yearly.

“The original numbers showed a savings of about $90,000,” the Mayor said. “It wouldn’t be unreasonable to expect similar numbers this time around.”


Templeton Police Chief David Whitaker was present at Monday’s Board of Selectmen meeting and said he was both surprised by the decision and concerned. He explained that Templeton’s dispatch center was one of the premier systems in the area and wouldn’t need to regionalize for better service.

“Templeton runs a very efficient and very effective dispatch center,” he said. “It’s a dispatch center that’s been used as a model for other centers that are regionalizing.”

Templeton’s dispatch center, which is already regionalized with Phillipston, receives a considerable amount of funding each year through grants, which helps offset the cost of running such an advanced operation. The department averages about $119,000 in regional incentive grants yearly, as well as somewhere between $5,000 and $7,000 in training grants, and an additional $54,000 a year in reimbursement revenue from the town of Phillipston. The fiscal year 2015 budget has the center running at a cost of $210,503, however, after subtracting the grant funding and reimbursements, that number is lowered to $36,896.

“That’s not even the price of one employee for top-notch, A-plus service,” Chief Whitaker said. “I don’t understand why we want to outsource this to another community when we’re bringing in all these recourses.”

Should Templeton decide to regionalize with Gardner, some of the grant money the town receives would go to the city, as they would act as the dispatch hub. Mayor Hawke said Gardner was looking into the possibility of accessing some of those funds, using them to help construct a dispatch center within the new police station currently under construction.

While the move would save the town money, Chief Whitaker impressed upon the board that what was at stake was the level of service provided.

“Templeton does not compare with Gardner,” he explained. “They’re a city, we’re a small town. Their dispatch is quite different.”

Under the current system, Templeton’s dispatch handles much more than police, fire, and EMS calls. They also take after hours calls for the light and water department, as well as Animal Control, the Board of Health, and the Highway Department. Should they decide to regionalize, Chief Whitaker said those services may be lost in the shuffle, although Mayor Hawke was adamant that the level of service would remain the same.

“We’re very parochial in Massachusetts – every department has their own everything,” the Mayor said. “It doesn’t make sense when we can offer the same service at a lower cost.”

Board member Julie Farrell commented that while she doesn’t support regionalizing the service, at some point, the board will have to come to terms with what it costs to have the center in town.

The process is still in its early stages.

According to the Mayor, now that all parties have expressed an interest in the move, they can meet and work out the numbers before taking an action, including bringing the matter before the respective boards for a vote.