03-07-1994 - Laserfiche WebLink

Comm. Minutes--March 7, 1994 1175 22. 23. ABATEMENT HEARING SCHEDULED, Red River Human Services MOTION, passed Mrs. Toussaint moved and Mr. Eckert seconded that Red River Human Services abatement #3980 and 3981 regarding valuation and abatement #3978 and 3979 regarding exemption be set for the date of April 4, 1994, at 8:30 AM in the Commission Room at the Cass County Courthouse. On roll call vote, motion carried unanimously. EMERGENCY DISPATCH, 911 calls discussed with rural fire and rescue A delegation from Cass County fire and rescue associations appeared before the board with questions on the upcoming transfer of 911 calls dispatched by the county jail to the City of Fargo dispatching center. Alan Runck, spokesperson for the group, asked questions about the 911 dispatch service and said his group is satisfied with the service they are receiving from the Sheriff's Office. He said they prefer a common sense directory rather than the rural address system, and he suggested postponing the switch to the Fargo dispatch center for a minimum of 60 days in order to cross-train the personnel involved. The transfer is now scheduled for April 1, 1994. Mr. Ness provided copies of a written history of joint dispatch services in Cass County, and the Commission responded to the questions outlined in Mr. Runck's memo dated February 23, 1994. For answers to additional questions, there will be a series of training sessions with rural responders using more detailed maps, which just became available last week. Mr. Ness said these sessions will be held on March 16, 1994, at 1:00 PM and 7:00 PM at the Juvenile Justice Center and on March 28, 1994, at 7:00 PM in Casselton. Also, during the first 30 days of conversion, a jailer from the Cass County dispatch center will work at the Fargo center to ensure continuity during the change and to answer any further questions that may arise. Keith Berndt, County Engineer, explained the digitized mapping system which will be provided to fire departments, ambulance districts and first responders when completed. He said one benefit of digitized mapping is keeping them more current than otherwise possible. Ken Habiger, Casselton Ambulance Service, said dispatchers presently ask two questions in addition to the information on screen when a 911 call comes in, and those questions provide common sense directions to the responding unit. He said it is the spoken word and the written word that they will be dispatched by rural addresses only when the transfer is made to the Fargo center. Mr. Ness said this was not spoken by anyone with authority in relation to this because the Commission is not taking this lightly. The Commission was concerned with the previous 7% error rate, which has now been reduced to less than 1%, and the individuals answering the calls will be full-time, trained professional 911 personnel. Currently, 911 calls are answered by county jailers who have numerous other responsibilities, he said. Mr. Habiger said they want to be a part of the process of change, and Mr. Ness said the county is not changing the system but changing where the calls are answered. He asked if Mr. Habiger plans to participate in the March meetings, and he said he does.