Pascack Valley officials looking for info on county’s offer for free dispatching
Tuesday December 18, 2012, 3:10 PM
BY KIMBERLY REDMOND
MANAGING EDITOR
Pascack Valley Community Life
Local officials are hoping to gather more information from the county on its offer to provide emergency dispatching services out of its Mahwah-based facility at no charge to municipalities.
During the Dec. 17 Township of Washington Council meeting, Councilman Steve Cascio said that he learned during conversations with Bergen County Executive Kathleen Donovan and Bergen County Police Chief Brian Higgins that “the county is going to offer dispatching to all municipalities in the County of Bergen at no cost” from the Bergen County Communications Center.
Westwood Mayor John Birkner, Jr. said Tuesday that he’d been approached last week by Higgins and County Chief of Staff Jeanne Barratta at a county award dinner for Hurricane Sandy first responders regarding bringing Westwood and Washington Township up to Mahwah at no charge.
“It’s certainly an attractive offer,” Birkner said. “But, I still think the Westwood-Washington Township plan is probably the best for all concerned as far as reducing costs. It’s really ideal.”