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Sheriff Pat Whiteford outlines dispatch relocation timetable, warns of backup power gaps
Summary
Sheriff Pat Whiteford told the Kalkaska County DPW Committee that clearing of the Annex and Recycle Center is expected ahead of a move and that dispatch and court server power vulnerabilities mean the county needs a substantial battery backup and other resilience measures.
Sheriff Pat Whiteford told the Kalkaska County DPW Committee on April 7 that the county is planning to clear the Annex and Recycle Center and relocate dispatch operations to county campus facilities, targeting an "anticipate completion and move by 6-1-25." He said temporary Emergency Services are operating out of Station 6 in Coldsprings Township while relocation work proceeds.
Whiteford raised technical concerns about continuity of dispatch and court services, saying the county has suffered power issues in dispatch and that "need for a large battery backup" to protect servers and avoid single points of failure at the Administration and Courts buildings. He also asked about the status of roof-related RFPs for the planned new dispatch building.
Committee members discussed short-term storage and facility options as alternatives to new construction, including enclosing wings of the DPW pole barn and modifying Fair and horse barns. Whiteford also suggested expanding secure parking behind the courthouse for judges and noted KPTA would allow use of its facilities to wash police cars.
The committee did not adopt a formal plan at the meeting; members asked staff to gather generator and installation quotes and confirm technical requirements for server backups and dispatch resilience before returning to the committee.
