Council approves amendment raising local 911 fee to support regional dispatch center

Hyde Park City Council voted 3-0 on March 26 to approve Amendment No. 1 to the interlocal agreement for dispatch services with Logan City, a change the council and public safety officials said is intended to help retain and recruit 9-1-1 dispatchers.

Councilmembers approved what staff described as a phased increase in the city’s 9-1-1 fee that staff and dispatch leaders estimated would amount to about $0.71 per household over the five‑year schedule described in the amendment. The motion was seconded and carried unanimously; the council said it will hold a required public hearing at the next meeting to adopt the fee schedule formally.

City and dispatch officials told the council the regional dispatch center has lost staff and faces a long, multi‑month training pipeline for new hires. Logan City and partner jurisdictions described the increase as targeted to improve pay and retention for dispatchers, reduce overtime and burnout, and prepare for a possible future change in dispatch governance.

Chiefs and dispatch managers described a 25% shortfall in staffing at points and said trainees often leave for higher paying jobs before finishing lengthy training. Officials noted the interlocal funds are held as a restricted enterprise fund for dispatch use and pointed to a roughly $3 million reserve that would carry to the dispatch entity if it is reorganized in the future.

Councilmembers asked for clearer long‑term planning documents and assurances about use of the restricted funds. Officials referenced the possibility that state legislative changes could require dispatch services to become a separate special service district in the future, and they said the reserve and fee increases are intended to make such a transition viable if needed. The council requested follow‑up documentation on long‑term facility and transition costs and said an advisory group of mayors and managers could help plan next steps.

The council’s formal action was recorded as an approval of Amendment No. 1 to the interlocal agreement for dispatch services between Logan City and Hyde Park City. The amendment was presented as part of Resolution 2025‑04, which modifies the city’s fee schedule to include the amended 9‑1‑1 fee. A public hearing to adopt the fee schedule will be held at the next council meeting as required by notice rules.

Councilmembers emphasized the vote did not reflect concerns with the quality of dispatch work; rather, they said the increase is meant to stabilize staffing and plan for potential future facility or governance changes.