Cornish council approves dispatch fee increase to bolster staffing and radio upgrades

Christie Walker, director of the Logan County dispatch center, asked the Cornish council to approve an amendment to the countywide dispatch agreement that would increase the local monthly dispatch fee to shore up staffing and rebuild a depleted radio fund.

Walker told the council the dispatch center — housed under the Logan City Police Department but operating as an enterprise fund — handles police, fire and medical calls for Cache County. She said the center is funded primarily by a $3 fee on utility bills, E9‑1‑1 phone revenue and payments from agencies such as the Utah Highway Patrol and Utah State University. Walker said the center is funded for 20 full‑time positions but currently has 14 full‑time employees and one trainee, and that wages have lagged regional comparators (Walker said the current starting wage is $22.85). "We are not attracting the right applicants with that wage," Walker said.

The amendment approved by the council would raise the $3 utility dispatch fee by 10% in the first year (a 30¢ increase effective July 1) and then apply 3% increases in each of the following four years through 2030. Walker described the total package as roughly a 71¢ increase per household per month over the five‑year period, with the additional revenue dedicated primarily to wages and hiring to retain and restore staffing levels. She also said the county recently spent the radio fund upgrading to a P25 digital system and will need to rebuild reserves for future equipment cycles.

During discussion, council members questioned why Logan City hosts the center; county and city representatives said Logan assumed the service in the 1990s because it had space and technology and that the center operates as a self‑supporting enterprise fund. One council member noted that state officials had called the Logan dispatch operation "a model for the state." Walker invited council members to tour the facility in Logan.

A motion to adopt Resolution 25‑01 (the dispatch agreement amendment) was made, seconded and approved by voice vote; the chair declared the motion unanimous. The council directed staff to complete signature and implementation steps; a council member said Matt would sign the paperwork when he returned to town.

The amendment takes effect July 1 for the first increase. The council and dispatch staff said the money is intended to fund pay increases and hiring rather than non‑personnel expenses. No litigation, external approval or alternate financing was required at the meeting; council members and dispatch staff said future governance options (special service district or other arrangements) could be reconsidered over time.