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M E M O <br />TO: County Commissioners <br />FROM: Robert W. Wilson <br />DATE: October 13, 2022 <br />SUBJECT: Red River Regional Dispatch Center Joint Powers Agreement (JPA) Update <br />Cass and Clay Counties and the Cities of Fargo, West Fargo, and Moorhead have worked to update the governance structure of the Red River Regional <br />Dispatch Center (RRRDC). The partnership among the five local entities to cooperatively coordinate and administer 9-1-1 call-taking and emergency dispatch services across a state boarder has, and continues to be, enormously successful and a unique model of local government cooperation. This governance update was identified as an opportunity for elected policy makers of the member organizations to be more actively <br />involved in the budgeting process, while leaving public safety-focused operational decisions to public safety leaders. <br />Policy, public safety, legal, and administrative leaders from all member entities have coordinated to update the governance structure of the RRRDC, memorialized in the attached draft Joint Powers Agreement (JPA). To be fully executed this draft must be considered and approved by the governing bodies of the Cities of Fargo, West Fargo, Moorhead, and Cass and Clay Counties. Cass County is hopeful all members will consider and approve the updated JPA in November. Cass County is scheduling a review/discussion of the current draft for the Cass County Commission meeting on October <br />17th. Other member entities have been invited to attend in-person or virtually and participate in that meeting. <br />The following is a summary of key elements of the proposed JPA: <br />•The Authority Board consists of ten members - two members of the <br />policy board of each member organization. The Board Chair rotates <br />annually, and the Vice Chair must not be from the same state as the <br />Chair. <br />•Certain Board actions, including approval of the annual budget and <br />hiring the director require an affirmative vote of a North Dakota and <br />Minnesota member. <br />•Other actions, including altering the financing structure of design and <br />construction of a new dispatch center facility require an affirmative vote <br />from a Cass County member. <br />•The following committees will report to the Authority Board: <br />County <br />Administrator <br />Robert W. Wilson <br />701-241-5770 <br />wilsonro@casscountynd.gov <br />PO Box 2806 <br />211 Ninth Street South <br />Fargo, North Dakota 58108 <br />www.casscountynd.gov