The Maine Public Utilities Commission released a proposed Public Safety Answering Point (PSAP) consolidation plan Aug. 5, detailing its strategy for reducing the number of PSAPs from 26 to between 15 and 17.
Lincoln 9-1-1 Communications Director Tim Pellerin detailed the plan before the Lincoln County Commissioners’ bi-monthly meeting Aug. 17.
According to the PUC, the optimal PSAP configuration for the state will be 16 centers, one in each county. Under the plan, Lincoln County 9-1-1 Communications, along with eight other PSAPS, will not be under threat of consolidation.
Lincoln County Communications, said the report, “provides both PSAP and dispatch service for the entire county,” and fulfills the recommendations put forward by the Kimball Report, the State contracted study that recommended statewide PSAP consolidation.
Under the proposed plan, however, the four Kennebec County towns (Pittston, Randolph, Farmingdale, and West Gardiner) that are currently served by Lincoln County will be forced to go back to Central Maine Regional Communications Center (CMRCC), the only PSAP in Kennebec County.
According to the text of the proposed plan, “All towns in Kennebec County will receive PSAP services from CMRCC. We recommend the consolidation of dispatch services to reduce the fragmentation of PSAP and dispatch services within the region.”
Though he was pleased that Lincoln County was not on the chopping block, Pellerin said he was incensed that the four towns were to be allocated back to Kennebec County. Lincoln County had invested the people and equipment into monitoring those towns only to have them taken away, he said.
The four Kennebec towns requested to enter the jurisdiction of the Lincoln County PSAP after their dissatisfaction with the services at CMRCC. Pellerin insisted that the four towns are determined to stay with Lincoln County, no matter the incentives.
“They’re adamant,” said Pellerin, “They want to stay with us.”
The Commissioners joined Pellerin in deriding the proposed plan. “It is to our detriment this deal,” said Commissioner Bill Blodgett.
Pellerin said he will be meeting with the four towns to discuss the proposed plan.
The Utilities Commission’s proposed plan also suggests reducing the charges for PSAP service made to a municipality by $1 per person. Lincoln County, however, uses taxation to fund its PSAP services rather than per person fees to municipalities.
“Where is our incentive?” said Pellerin.
Under the proposed plan, Lincoln County would not receive consolidation incentives like other counties. As a result, Lincoln County residents’ state taxes would be used to pay for an incentive from which it does not benefit.
Blodgett questioned the legitimacy of using Lincoln County’s tax dollars to pay for a consolidation plan that would ultimately harm Lincoln County.
“Is Lincoln County going to pay a $1 [sic] so that Kennebec can do it?” Blodgett said.
The Utilities Commission’s proposed plan is now up for comment from interested parties until Sept. 14. A public hearing to discuss the comments and the proposed plan is scheduled for Sept. 22.