Midland Park to contract with Ridgewood firm for dispatching
SEPTEMBER 12, 2014 LAST UPDATED: FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 12, 2014, 4:48 PM
BY EMERGENCY SERVICES
CORRESPONDENT
MIDLAND PARK SUBURBAN NEWS
MIDLAND PARK – The Borough Council introduced an ordinance to enter into an interlocal agreement with Northwest Bergen Central Dispatch to provide emergency dispatch services at its Sept. 11 meeting.
The agreement, set to begin Jan. 1, signals the end of a 15-year relationship with Wyckoff for those services.
“It is a simple and straightforward financial decision,” said Mayor Patrick “Bud” O’Hagan.
Borough Clerk Administrator Adeline Hanna said the contract between the Ridgewood-based dispatch service is being prepared by legal counsel.
“The contract details have not been finalized,” she said.
Information contained in the proposal dated June 27 and submitted by Central Dispatch Director Jack F. Tancos lists the annual fee for the dispatch service at $235,000.
The proposal calls for a five-year agreement with annual increases “not to exceed 5 percent in any give year, to offset increases in operating costs.”
Although the annual fee is less than the $260,000 proposal from Wyckoff, the change in service comes with additional costs.
– See more at: https://www.northjersey.com/news/business/midland-park-to-contract-with-ridgewood-firm-for-dispatching-1.1087047?page=all#sthash.X3YQZjDx.dpuf
Great news for the taxpayers of Glen Rock and Ridgewood, but Midland Park residents should be asking why their officials didn’t sign with Bergen County – Kathy Donovan said the County would do it for free.
nothing is “FREE”
Oh yea free for the first year or two until you give up your radio frequency and your equipment and then we are going to stick it to you and you have no control. Oh and by the way will are going to raise your county taxes to support our new power base. How to build an empire. She should worry about get re-elected
A “simple and straightforward financial decision”, which takes absolutely ZERO concern with the safety of the first responders and the taxpayers into consideration. This decision is reckless, foolhardy and reeks of the kind of utter ignorance politicians are famous for. The dispatch center in question is one of the worst examples of poor leadership, incompetent performance and ZERO accountability in recent memory. If you read the entire article, the director of this operation is already making excuses in advance for the problems that are certain to arise. The taxpayers of Midland Park are being hoodwinked in the name of some imagined financial savings. Whatever money he thinks they will save will be nothing compared to the burden of a lawsuit when someone gets hurt or killed. This blog posted an article last year detailing the major issues that were going on with equipment and staffing. The director has been caught in so many lies, it’s baffling how he has not been asked to resign. The center run by the County is no bargain either, but there has to be some sort of informed decision process that takes more than the almighty dollar into account.
NWBCD is a black hole of incompetence, and is a fraudulent abuse of taxpayers of the municipalities that use it. The majority of its budget is funded by the Village of Ridgewood with few questions asked. Where did it’s systems and equipment come from? The whole thing reeks of conflicts of interest and taxpayer abuse.
MP was one of the original towns who formed NWBCD, after they were getting fleeced financially they fled to Wyckoff. Does MP think it will be any different now?
The difference now is that they’re only a paying customer (with a guaranteed rate), not a full partner with an unknown tax liability.
Were the governing bodies in Glen Rock and Ridgewood consulted prior to this new business being sought? A new contractual obligation will make it more difficult to close the operation and move to County dispatch should that be decided upon.
Did Fred Stahman and John Ward both approve the addition of another police department on to the frequency that they both now share? Same question applies to the Glen Rock and Ridgewood fire chiefs and EMS chiefs.
This service costs Ridgewood’s taxpayers $600K per year. Why are we spending that much if the County will do it for free?
NOTHIN G IS FOR FREE.
Sell Ridgewood Water.