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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 surgery, told the council she believes "the delay caused by that would be unacceptable" and asked the council to "please find the money to keep the 911 Center in Oskaloosa."
The council did not take a vote on consolidation during the meeting. Instead, members described a fact-finding phase and additional outreach. Councilmember Rhonda Ullman said she had spent two hours at the 911 center and praised staff, saying, "Those people are amazing." Another councilmember, identified in the meeting as Abu, said he had "a chance to sit in, dispatch a couple times last week" and called for trying to keep dispatch in Oskaloosa while working with local stakeholders.
Why this matters: Any transfer of dispatch services would change how emergency calls are routed and could affect response times for Mahaska County residents. Residents whose calls have been rerouted or delayed said that even short delays can have serious consequences.
What council members said: Councilmembers described tours of dispatch operations and additional outreach to emergency management partners. Rhonda Ullman said she had received more than "700 phone calls in the last 2 weeks" about the issue and said she would not "sacrifice anybody in the city of Oskaloosa." Council members repeatedly said they were exploring options and would continue discussions; no formal direction, assignment to staff, or vote was recorded at the meeting.
Public-comments vs. formal action: The remarks from Banchard, Helm and Kalkowski took place during the meeting's public-comment period. Council remarks about dispatch occurred later in the council-comment portion of the agenda. The record shows discussion and site visits but does not show any ordinance, contract, or formal motion approving a consolidation.
Next steps noted in the meeting: council members said they would continue meeting with local stakeholders, tour other dispatch centers (a councilmember said they were touring a 911 center in Knoxville the next day), and explore funding options to keep operations local. A timeline for any decision was not specified.
Ending: The council left the matter open for further study; residents and at least two councilmembers urged preserving local dispatch capacity while alternatives are evaluated.
