LEWISTON – Local dispatch officials will turn to their Sagadahoc County counterparts Thursday night as they continue looking for ways to combine services.
Municipal, fire and police officials hope to draw up a plan by September to combine emergency dispatch services. The group is being led by Lewiston City Administrator Jim Bennett and Minot fire Chief Steve French.
The group is scheduled to meet at 7 p.m. Thursday in Lewiston City Hall. They’ll be joined by Sagadahoc Sheriff Mark Westrum, former Bath police Chief Max Dawson and Bob Gaspar of Emergency Services Communications Bureau.
The group is also scheduled set deadlines and discuss guiding principles and philosophy.
The effort continues work begun last year to combine 911 call answering centers. The state began reducing call centers statewide in 2004, requiring areas to combine 911 services.
Androscoggin County has two centers – Lewiston-Auburn and the Sheriff’s Department. There are still several agencies that dispatch emergency services, and Bennett estimates they spend $400,000 annually.
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