Among the lingering impacts of July’s flood was the City Council’s decision in October to join the Racine County Communications Center and lay off five city-employed dispatchers.
The city’s emergency dispatching equipment was destroyed when water infiltrated the basement of the police station during the flood. That prompted city officials to consider alternatives for the long-term future of the dispatching service.
Following two months of community discussion – during which the benefits of locally based dispatching were weighed against the potential savings of joining the county system – the council voted 6-1 in mid October to join the county Communications Center.
Several council members called it the most difficult decision they’ve had to make.
Two of them – Aldermen Jon Schultz and Tom Pruesker – said the savings, redundancies and improved response times represented by the county system tipped the scales in the county’s favor.
The city is on schedule to join the county system Jan. 1.
Among the five dispatchers who will lost their jobs Jan. 1, three have been offered severance packages that pay them for their years of service to the city and two have been transferred to other positions within the city.
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