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Politics & Government

Police Department Asks for Consultant to Assist with Technical Aspects of up to $320,000 in New Dispatch Equipment

Consultant's cost would be less than $25,000; would include reviewing current equipment and writing request for proposals.

At Monday's meeting, Fenton City Council will consider a request from Chief of Police Rick Aro, for a consultant to assist with the approximately $320,000 emergency dispatch equipment upgrade. It's a very technical issue, and the consultant could help Fenton get the most "bang for the buck," Aro said.

The consultant's $25,000 proposal included reviewing the current equipment to determine what's broken and what can be repaired, writing a request for proposals from businesses wanting to sell Fenton the equipment, and managing the project, Aro said. Fenton won't need the consultant to manage the project, though, since the city can do that in-house. This would lower the consultant's price tag, and Aro believes part of the cost could be found in savings Fenton could receive. The consultant, located in Traverse City, saved the Region Three area $10,000 on radios it purchased. Region Three includes the Bay area, Saginaw and West Branch.

In addition, a consultant would help Fenton avoid some of the pitfalls it had with its last upgrade. Aro said he doesn't have the expertise needed, himself, due to the technical nature of the dispatch equipment.

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In April, the totaling as much as $320,000. Fenton's emergency dispatch equipment is more than 10 years old and, as alternatives to spending the money to replace it, city administrators investigated receiving emergency dispatch services from Genesee County Central or the village of Holly.

Aro has said Fenton's dispatch center, which supervises the city's lock-up, helps deter crimes like shoplifting. The fire chief, Robert Cairnduff, also supported keeping the city's emergency dispatch center open. In the spring, Cairnduff said closing it could create issues for Fenton in keeping STAT EMS as an ambulance provider. He is pleased with STAT EMS response times, which are five minutes for priority calls (chest pains or trouble breathing, for example).

Find out what's happening in Fentonwith free, real-time updates from Patch.

The consultant Aro is recommending for the emergency dispatch equipment upgrade is located too far away to bid on the project. Thus, there wouldn't be a conflict of interest in the consultant writing the request for proposals, so it would fit only the equipment he sells, for example, Aro said.

It's a very technical issue, and the police chief needs someone to assist, Mayor Sue Osborn said. City council will consider it at Monday's meeting, 7:30 p.m. at Fenton City Hall.

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