Walbridge's bottom line for dispatch near $10,000

7/25/2002

Walbridge officials have come up with what they say is a rock-bottom price Rossford and Lake Township must pay if they want to continue receiving dispatching services for their police and fire departments.

At a special meeting yesterday, the Walbridge Village Council authorized a quote of $9,890.78 per month through next year.

That's $240.47 less than Walbridge had wanted in an earlier proposal but well above the $8,000 monthly charge the other communities have said is the most they could pay.

The new price was worked out by the council's finance committee and can't be reduced, said Traci Taylor, who heads the committee. “There's really no room to cut anywhere else,” Ms. Taylor said.

The price proposal will be forwarded to Lake Township and Rossford officials.

Under the proposal, Walbridge agrees to pay an equal share of the $30,000 cost of new equipment next year. The village pays 20 percent of equipment costs, with Lake Township and Rossford shouldering 40 percent each. Walbridge owns the equipment.

Under the proposal, the village would continue to pay about half of what it charges the other two communities for dispatching: $5,183.17.

Rossford and Lake Township now pay about $7,660 per month, up from $5,200 two years ago.

Melanie Bowen-Horton, chairwoman of the Lake Township trustees, said the new price “is not going to be acceptable. There's no way I want to pay that, but I may not have a choice.”

Mrs. Bowen-Horton said she was in the process of getting a quote from the Wood County Sheriff's Office and Perrysburg Township.

Rossford Councilman Rick Kovach said he would convene a meeting of council's safety committee, which he heads, to study Walbridge's proposal.