LISBON — Councilors voted 4-3 Tuesday to keep the town’s local dispatch center, rejecting consolidation with Androscoggin County.

Councilors Kasie Kolbe, Kris Crawford and Mark Lunt voted against the motion to reject consolidation.

“It’s premature to shut this (dispatch consolidation) down,” Kolbe said. “I think there’s a lot of business partners out there to talk to. I would prefer to do this the right way and not base this decision on one workshop.”

The council held a workshop Jan. 31 at which members heard from town department heads, the police chief and the Androscoggin County sheriff.

“It’s not an emotional decision,” Crawford said. “It’s a logical decision.”

Crawford agreed with Kolbe to not vote on the issue until councilors talked to more people in the community and at other dispatch centers.

But council Vice Chairman Chris Brunelle made a motion to reject consolidation.

“I’ve heard, seen and read enough to make an educated guess not only for myself but for the town people who use the service who have approached me,” Brunelle said. “I’ve sat through and read enough information to know that it’s no cost or savings to money or life in making it go away.”

Local control was a major factor in keeping the dispatch center.

“You have guys and girls sitting in our dispatch that are trained,” resident Jeff Picard said. “They care about our community; they’re familiar with the community. You lose that community awareness when you start looking elsewhere.”

Consolidating the dispatching of emergency calls with the county was estimated to save the town $94,002 

In other business, Town Council Chairman Allen Ward appointed James Lemieux as water commissioner.

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