5/3/2012 - West Side Leader
     

NORTON — At an April 27 special meeting, Norton City Council voted 5-0 to approve an agreement with Barberton and Copley for the application of a $300,000 Ohio Local Government Innovation Fund loan to establish a joint dispatch facility.

Council members Todd Bergstrom (Ward 1) and Scott Pelot (at large) were excused from the meeting.

Finance Director John Moss said the cost to establish the joint dispatch facility is estimated at $500,000, according to the meeting minutes. The low-cost loan would be used to create the joint dispatch center in the one-year-old Norton Fire Station.

The creation of the joint dispatch center program would require each community to provide $70,000 to $100,000 in financial aid or in-kind contributions toward its operation, according to the legislation. Norton has operated a joint facility with Copley for the past two years, according to city officials, and Barberton just signed on to participate.

Council President Don Nicolard (Ward 2) said the bulk of Norton’s share would come from using its fire department to house the dispatch center.

The new dispatch center is expected to save all three communities money and increase safety due to the expected faster call times, and will likely be operational before the end of the year, according to Moss.

The next Norton City Council meeting will take place May 14 at 7 p.m. in the Safety Administration Building, 4060 Columbia Woods Drive.

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