Correction: This story has been corrected from an earlier version, stating the City of Brockville is getting out of the dispatch service, based on a report authored by Deputy Chief Danny Aikman. Brockville Fire Chief Ghislain Pigeon emailed Cornwall Newswatch to say that Brockville is, indeed, in the dispatch business, is dispatching for Leeds-Grenville for the next five years, and is entertaining bids from other interested partners.
CORNWALL – The city’s police board has given the go-ahead for the Cornwall police dispatching center to handle calls for SD&G fire departments.
Under the plan, the Cornwall Community Police Service (CCPS) center would dispatch fire departments for five of the six SD&G townships.
Each township would pay a $10,000 implementation fee and then an annual fee of $35,000, indexed to inflation over five years, for the service.
North Dundas is the only township which can’t come on board because it’s under contract for the foreseeable future with the City of Ottawa, Deputy Police Chief Danny Aikman explained to the police board Tuesday morning.
During the meeting, board members heard the CCPS would make a potential profit of $343,580 over five years. The profit is based on revenue of $960,705, less $617,125 in expenses for staffing, radio infrastructure and other incidentals.
Cornwall Fire Chief Pierre Voisine, whose service is already dispatched by CCPS, sat in on the board meeting to answer any questions.
Voisine said the Cornwall Fire Department recognizes the “jewel” that the Cornwall police are operating and it’s “second to none.” The chief believes it will be a “huge advantage” for the townships to sign up.
Outside the meeting, the chief later explained to CNW that having all the departments under the same service could create “economies of scale” for buying radio equipment and other infrastructure down the road.
Up until now, SD&G townships have been dispatched by centers in Hawkesbury and Brockville.
“We are updating our GIS capability…basically for the five (townships), specifically focusing on North Stormont because they are the first group that have come through with a contract,” Deputy Police Chief Danny Aikman told Cornwall Newswatch.
“I have an indication from the CAO of North Glengarry that the contract is about to be forwarded to us. I know the fire chief of South Glengarry was having additional discussions with his CAO in regards to finalizing the contract,” Aikman said.
South Stormont and South Dundas are also interested but will take a while longer, especially with South Dundas recently bringing on a new fire chief.
Between signing contracts and making the upgrades to the GIS mapping, the service likely wouldn’t be online until sometime in early 2017.