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Port Richey approves addendum to join Pasco County consolidated dispatch; county model chosen at lowest projected cost
Summary
Council approved an addendum to the Pasco County consolidated communications interlocal agreement, selecting the county‑run model for dispatch after staff presented three staffing options. Staff said the county model would cost about $371,000 annually, compared with higher in‑house or hybrid options.
Port Richey City Council voted to join Pasco County’s consolidated communications center at its March 11 meeting, approving an addendum to the county’s interlocal agreement that will move emergency dispatch to the county’s consolidated center.
Why it matters: staff presented three staffing models and associated annual costs and recommended full consolidation with the county. The county model was the least expensive and, staff said, offers more redundancy and a larger dispatcher pool than the city can reliably recruit and retain.
What staff presented: during the public presentation staff described three options previously considered: - Maintain in‑house dispatch with added staffing and management (staff estimate about $555,000 annually in start‑up/ongoing cost). - Hybrid model (move fire dispatch to county and retain some in‑house functions): staff cited a rough annual cost near $500,000. - Full county consolidation (move all dispatch to county center, retain civil support staff locally): staff cited an annual cost of about $371,000 and recommended this option as the most reliable and least costly.
City staff said the county dispatch center has multiple facilities and a larger roster of dispatchers (staff reported 10 currently, with plans to expand), which provides redundancy and capacity to handle simultaneous high‑priority calls without holding calls in queue. Staff also said many city dispatchers have been offered positions with the county and that competitive county pay makes local recruitment difficult.
Council action and next steps: Council approved the addendum by voice vote; staff said implementation steps will include setting a final cutover date, finalizing service‑level requirements, and presenting the interlocal to the county communications board and county commission for final approvals.
What council cited in debate: supporters pointed to staffing shortages and reliability; councilmembers asked for a written summary of the staffing options and costs. Opponents in prior discussions had expressed concern about losing local control, but council majority voted to proceed.
Ending: staff said the move will require further implementation planning; council approved the addendum to move forward with county consolidation.
