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Commissioners review planned dispatch upgrades, ask about partner MOUs and costs
Summary
County staff described two dispatch upgrades — call recording/QA and a new AI call-handling system — with upfront county costs (about $61,000) and a partner invoice of roughly $226,000 spread over five years; commissioners asked for MOUs with partner cities and fire to secure cost-sharing before billing.
Umatilla County staff briefed commissioners on planned upgrades to the county dispatch system that include a call-recording/quality-assurance product and a separate AI-based call-handling system intended to reduce workload.
Staff explained the two products are distinct: the existing call-recording/QA system handles audio capture and quality review, while the new product includes AI call-handling or automated call-answering functionality. Commissioners asked whether the county had signed memoranda of understanding (MOUs) with partner cities and the fire district to document cost-sharing; staff said agreements had been discussed previously but that a formal MOU was not present in the current packet and that partners were expected to reimburse the county when invoices begin next fiscal year.
Budget figures discussed in the work session included a county charge of about $61,000 and an associated partner invoice of about $226,000; staff said the vendor had agreed not to bill until the next fiscal year and that costs were spread over five years. Commissioners urged staff to secure formal written agreements from partner agencies before the county begins billing or committing reserve funds.
Next steps: staff said they would follow up with partner agencies to confirm MOUs and the intended funding source, and to provide a clearer plan for how much will come from county reserves versus partner reimbursements.
