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7. 9-1-1 ConsolidationCOUNTY SERVICESFLATHEAD DISASTER & EMERGENCY Kim Poftw Telephone Director Justice Center 406-758-5561 8W So. Main 24 HOURS Kalispell, MT 59901 406-758-5610 DEAR CITY COUNCIL MEMBER: PLEASE LET ME TAKE THIS METHOD OF BRINGING YOU UP TO SPEED ON THE 911 CONSOLIDATION PROCESS. I HAVE ASKED THE CITY MANAGER TO SET THIS TOPIC ON THE MONDAY MAY 2 AGENDA. THE BOARD OF CRIME CONTROL PROVIDED THE 911 BOARD WITH THE METHOD OF OPERATION IN THIS PROCESS WHICH WAS ACCEPTED BY THE BOARD. THIS METHOD INCLUDED SEVERAL STEPS TO IDENTIFY THE SERIOUS PARTICIPANTS. WE ARE NOW AT THE STEP WHERE WE NEED TO KNOW IF KALISPELL IS WILLING TO CONTINUE THE INVESTIGATION PROCESS INTO THE FEASIBILITY OF 911 CONSOLIDATION BETWEEN KALISPELL AND FLATHEAD COUNTY. A MODEL OF 911 CONSOLIDATION WAS PREPARED BY THE BOARD, WHICH USED THE HIGHEST POSSIBLE BUDGET AND MANPOWER FIGURES. UNDER THIS MODEL VIRTUALLY ALL OF THE DISPATCHERS FROM 4 DISPATCH CENTERS . WOULD HAVE BEEN RETAINED FOR THE FIRST 6 MONTHS. EVEN WITH THESE HIGH END FIGURES, OVER $200,000 COULD BE SAVED USING THE 1993 BUDGETS AS A GUIDE LINE. NOW THAT COLUMBIA FALLS AND WHITEFISH HAVE DECIDED TO NOT JOIN THE CONSOLIDATION AT THIS TIME, WE NEED TO KNOW IF KALISPELL STILL WISHES TO EXPLORE THE POSSIBILITIES OF A BILATERAL AGREEMENT. THIS UNDERSTANDING WILL HAVE TO DETERMINE A MANAGEMENT SYSTEM, A STAFFING PATTERN, A BUDGET AND A SYSTEM OF FAIR AND EQUITABLE FUNDING, BUT THE FIRST THING THAT NEEDS TO BE DONE IS TO HEAR FROM THE KALISPELL CITY COUNCIL. WITHOUT YOUR INPUT, I HAVE NO AUTHORITY TO PROCEED. SPECIFICALLY, WE NEED THE CITY COUNCIL TO INSTRUCT US TO CONTINUE THE FEASIBILITY STUDY WITH KALISPELL AS A POTENTIAL PARTICIPANT WITH FLATHEAD COUNTY. FLATHEAD COUNTY HAS PREVIOUSLY GIVEN ME SUCH DIRECTION FOR THEIR PART. ONCE WE HAVE AN AGREEMENT ON ALL OF THE ABOVE MENTIONED ITEMS, THEN AND ONLY THEN WILL WE PREPARE A FORMAL CONSOLIDATION AGREEMENT. THANK YOU FOR YOUR INTEREST IN THIS STUDY. SINCE KIM S. POTTER 911 CHAIRMAN