Groveland council resists dispatch consolidation, approves three firefighters in 4-1 vote

Groveland's City Council faced sustained public opposition July 6 to a proposal to consolidate emergency dispatch and other public safety services with the Lake County Sheriff's Office, then approved hiring three additional firefighters in a 4-1 vote aimed at reducing overtime and improving staffing.

Dozens of residents and municipal first responders urged the council to keep police, fire and dispatch services local. Jenn Eastridge told the council that "public safety should remain a local priority rather than be considered as a cost-saving measure," and several speakers echoed concerns about response times, loss of local control, and uncertainty over whether current city employees would retain positions or ranks under the county model.

Interim City Manager Timothy Maslow and Police Sergeant-At-Arms Chief Shawn Ramsey presented details of the Sheriff's Office proposal, including technology compatibility and a proposed phased transition. Chief Ramsey noted the city's Spillman CAD was being upgraded to Motorola PremierOne, which would make technical integration feasible, but warned the county transition could reduce local service and urged retention strategies. "Dispatch personnel should instead receive salary increases to improve recruitment and retention rather than pursuing consolidation," he said.

Council Member Michael Jaycox presented comparative compensation and contract-cost data from neighboring municipalities and projected long-term savings if Groveland joined the county model; other members pressed staff for hard response-time comparisons before any decision. Mayor Keith Keogh told residents the issue was part of budget scenario planning and emphasized that "no decisions regarding public safety services had been made by the Council."

Separately, the council approved a motion by Council Member Stephen Shylkofski, seconded by Council Member Jaycox, to hire three firefighters to reduce unscheduled overtime and implement a Quick Response Vehicle. The motion passed 4-1; Vice Mayor Barbara Gaines cast the lone nay vote, saying her objection reflected a budgeting preference rather than opposition to the positions themselves.

Members of the public also raised a personnel allegation unrelated to the consolidation discussion: former human resources specialist Tabitha Fullington said an outside investigation had "substantiated portions of her complaint" and that she was later terminated and offered a severance agreement. City staff did not take immediate action in response to her comments during the meeting.

The council did not adopt any consolidation contract or authorize service transfers; several council members asked staff to obtain comparative response-time data from municipalities that have transitioned to county dispatch and to invite county representatives for a direct presentation before any further action.

The council recessed briefly and then reconvened; the dispatch discussion will remain part of ongoing budget planning and public meetings. The hiring measure became effective as approved by the council at the meeting.