SYRACUSE - By a vote of 4 to 1, the Syracuse Town Council decided not to renew the dispatchers' contract with the Turkey Township advisors.
The decision was made Tuesday during a special meeting.
The town council had until today to inform the advisors in writing if the contract would be renewed. The current contract is good until Dec. 31. Before budgets are due July 15, the town council and township advisors must come to a consensus.
The township advisors, Carl Myrick and Arlen Bobrick, and Township Trustee Barbara Griffith, were late to the meeting. However, Kosciusko County Administrator Ron Robinson and Kosciusko County 911 Center Director Tom Brindle were on hand to answer questions about what the county dispatch can and can't do for Syracuse.
According to Robinson, the county dispatch center has 17 employees, with about three or four per shift. Robinson said the county dispatch could handle Syracuse's calls.
The biggest concern, Robinson said, is how Syracuse Town Marshall Tony Ciriello and Fire Chief Mickey Scott want calls handled. The county dispatch could start handling Syracuse police calls within a few months, and fire and EMS calls within six months.
Syracuse would not have any additional costs to be serviced by the county dispatch. Robinson said Syracuse already is paying taxes for the service.
The issue was discussed for more than two hours before the council made their decision.
Syracuse town council members are Paul Stoelting, Cassie Cowan, Larry Siegel, Brian Woody and Bill Musser.
