At a recent selectmen’s meeting in Monmouth, our public safety officials expressed their concerns about the regionalization of dispatch services. Kennebec County will have one center, operated by the state, for all towns and cities in the county. Monmouth, with police, fire, and rescue departments, will pay more than $40,000 for this mandated service. Our current cost is about $15,000. This new plan will save the cities, county, and the state money but will increase the burden on towns with their smaller tax bases.

Of greater concern was the fact that the quality of service we presently receive from our dispatch will be substantially reduced. It will result in a reduction of their ability to serve the community. It may also put members of the services in potentially hazardous situations because of their reduced ability to communicate.

Our services will just be dispatched to a location. There will be none of the follow up communications they presently have. All police in Kennebec County will be on one frequency, rescue on another, and fire departments on yet another. It was stated that the new system will slow response times for all services. The new system will impede the communication between our departments which is so important at accidents and fires.

We will receive poorer service that will cost us considerably more than the dispatch service we currently have. Please contact our state representatives to express your opinion on this mandated regionalization.

Douglas Ludewig, Monmouth

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