Rossford OKs dispatch service with county

9/1/2014
BLADE STAFF

Rossford City Council has voted to contract with the Wood County Sheriff’s Office for police and fire dispatching services. Under a deal approved last week, the city expects its cost to be less than the $135,000 it pays Lake Township for the service.

After the vote at council’‍s regular meeting, Sheriff Mark Wasylyshyn described council’s unanimous approval of the contract as “truly a win for the city of Rossford. It’‍s a win for the county.”

The sheriff said he would provide a “state-of-the-art” service and that his dispatchers were excited about taking on Rossford. The sheriff’s office also dispatches for 13 part-time police departments, including Pemberville and Bradner, and many fire and EMS departments in Wood County.

Rossford Administrator Ed Ciecka said he expected the service to start late this year or early 2015. Rossford and Lake must find a date to end their contract, and the sheriff’‍s office must add Rossford to its database.

Mr. Ciecka said Rossford would pay about $73,000 annually for the service and incur one-time start-up costs of about $48,000.

Rossford will pay for an additional dispatcher, and the sheriff will bill the city monthly for the extra personnel, with payment due on the first day of the next month.

In return, the sheriff is to provide around-the-clock city dispatching through the Lucas County Emergency Services’ 800 mhz system. The sheriff is to provide and maintain all hardware and software, phone, radio, and transmission systems.

The parties are to meet at least twice a year, or at the request of either, to discuss the service. Once the service is running, either side can end the agreement with six months’‍ notice.

In other business, council approved putting a $9,800 lien on property at 545 Glenwood Rd. to recoup the cost of demolishing a home there in March.

The site is owned by former Rossford Mayor Louis Bauer, who city officials said violated an agreement regarding his nuisance property. He was arrested and charged with disorderly conduct and obstructing official business, both misdemeanors, after police said he interfered with the demolition crew.

He was released on his own recognizance and described the charges as “bogus and malicious.”