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Helena council approves 5-year agreement to outsource 911 dispatch to county, city projects $170,000 annual savings
Summary
The council approved a five-year interlocal agreement to shift 911 dispatching to the county at an annual cost of $85,000; staff estimated roughly $170,000 in net payroll savings to the city and said the county will employ dispatchers and assume operational liability.
The Helena City Council voted Sept. 16 to contract 911 dispatch services to the county under a five-year interlocal agreement that will take effect Oct. 1.
Staff told the council the county requested $85,000 per year, payable in four quarterly payments of $21,250, and would act as the employer for dispatchers, controlling hiring, discipline and liability. City staff contrasted that cost with the city’s projected payroll and benefits expense for dispatch operations — roughly $252,000 annually — and reported an estimated net savings of about $170,000 per year to the city if the contract is adopted.
"So the net is about a $170,000 savings to the city," the presenting official said during the briefing.
Council action: Miss Miller moved to approve the interlocal agreement and Saint Columbia seconded; the council adopted the contract by roll-call vote (6 yes). The agreement will take effect Oct. 1, at which point the county will be responsible for dispatch staffing and related employment liability.
Operational notes and questions: The agreement does not guarantee that current city dispatch staff will be hired by the county. Councilmembers raised concerns about operational differences between city and county dispatch, but staff said the county has already handled dispatch work for the city during recent outages and will adapt to higher city call volumes.
Fiscal effect: Staff projected the city’s net payroll savings at roughly $170,000 annually and noted that over five years the total projected savings would be approximately $850,000 if those estimates hold. Council did not vote on personnel decisions; any staffing transitions are controlled by the county as the employer under the agreement.
Next steps: The contract will begin Oct. 1 and city administration will work with county counterparts on the transition, including notifications and any operational coordination required.
