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Residents urge council to keep 911 dispatch in Oskaloosa as city weighs options
Summary
Residents and councilmembers pressed for keeping the local 911 dispatch center after public comments described a life-threatening delay and council members reported touring dispatch operations; no formal decision was made.
Residents and councilmembers pressed the Oskaloosa City Council on Nov. 18 to keep the city's 911 dispatch center local, saying a move to consolidate with another jurisdiction could add dangerous delays.
Several callers during the meeting's public-comment period described slow or rerouted calls to emergency services. John Banchard of Mahaska County said the council's recent deliberations on 911 have raised transparency questions and "raises questions if the council is really following chapter 21 in open meetings." Alicia Helm told the council that "response time will be added if you go with another city, and that's not exactly ideal when seconds do matter." Carol Kalkowski, a resident who said she was flown to Des Moines for emergency…
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