The Fall River Herald News has this to report on last Thursday's meeting in Dartmouth.
Also see my post here.
Having the cities in the mix, the Fall River and New Bedford mayors both sent representatives to the meeting, is encouraging. Both cities may be able to offer services to towns ...
... on a fee for service basis, especially in these tough times for municipalities. It might be a way to give furloughed workers employment.
What do you think?
Monday, September 14, 2009
Regional meeting in the news
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4 comments:
Sorry, this has nothing to do with this post. I just read the letter to the editor in the ST by Chris Collins on 9/12. I couldn't agree more. No one is thinking about all the men and women who are paying to give handouts to corporations and banks. Too bad for the little guy if he has to pay for other people's failures, whether it is the irresponsibility of corporate America or those who obtained a mortgage they couldn't afford. We are paying to bail others out and keep our government nice and fat. Please don't expect sympathy from me for our poor government employees who are guaranteed their salaries, benefits and pensions while others who are expected to pay for them are losing their jobs and homes.
Brings to mind that never-ending job-and-financial-protection-for-life- clause (b) and the automatic contract renenwal language in those eight employee contracts we recently had here in Dartmouth. Except that was on a local level!
If you read clause (b) you'd see that every one else can be let go and lose their jobs because of the economy, except these chosen eight. They would be guaranteed their job at the same pay and benefits regardless of who else got sent home and who else had family to take care of and feed.
What do you call an attitude like that? We get ours, at your expense. Too bad, so sad, for you. I've made sure I'm taken care of, and that's all that matters.
When Town Meeting rolls around, let's be certain when salaries are to be appropriated, that we fully know what we are voting for, and the reasonable cost value of the job for the money asked.
Sorry, NO I'm sorry I read your stupied comments. Think about others before you open your mouth. Why do we always screw ourselves at the local level over peanuts when at the State, Federal levels their right out in the open screwing us over????? Is it because they don't care what you say! What makes you think that at the local level your making a difference for the good? Quit shooting yourself in the back. Come on wakeup
By DIANE LEDERMAN
dlederman@repub.com
AMHERST - Lt. Gov. Timothy P. Murray met with dozens of local police, fire and municipal officials Friday afternoon to promote regionalizing emergency dispatch services.
Those who attended are participating in studies looking at joining such a regional service, one based in Hampshire County with Amherst the lead community and a second out of Springfield.
Regionalizing of emergency services "is a more effective and efficient" means of delivering emergency services, Murray said. He said Maryland, which is about the same size as Massachusetts, has 24 call centers. Massachusetts has more than 250.
Amherst began looking at regionalizing initially with University of Massachusetts, Belchertown and Hadley. Since then Pelham, South Hadley, South Hadley Fire District 2, Ludlow, Ware, Wilbraham and East Longmeadow have asked to be included in that feasibility study.
Shaffer said he expects a report from the consultant in January. The state has already awarded the town a $735,000 grant that would will allow the town to pay for pre-construction and design costs of a potential regional center should make that recommendation be made.
Murray said that if Amherst becomes the host community to that larger confluence of partners, the town would bring in $837,440 in state funding instead of the $72,810 it currently receives.
Springfield could bring in $2,096,072 instead of the $663,082 it now receives, Murray said, if it joined with those communities including Chicopee, Holyoke, West Springfield, Longmeadow and East Longmeadow.
That additional money made it attractive for the city to look at regionalizing, said Springfield Fire Commissioner Gary G. Cassanelli.
"It makes a lot of sense," he said. "It's something we talked about for a long time. If the funding is sustainable, it's a great alternative to what we're doing now."
That community began looking at regionalizing the police and fire dispatch, and other communities expressed interest in joining. East Longmeadow wants to consider regionalizing with Amherst and Springfield.
Murray reiterated that the state is committed to regionalization and the money will be there to help. "We understand that sustainability and predictability is a big part (of going forward.)"
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