Council hears dispatch consolidation study; county could absorb calls but capital costs and cost‑sharing remain unresolved

Staff presented the results of a Matrix Consulting study on consolidating Platteville’s dispatch operations with Grant County. The study concluded Grant County could handle the city’s 911 and dispatch workload (possibly with modest additional county staffing), but several outstanding issues remain: who pays for replacing aging console equipment, how the county will apportion ongoing operating costs or one‑time capital costs, and whether Platteville will maintain a local front‑desk for nonemergency customer service.

Andrea explained that county officials have requested a city resolution to support a grant application for console replacement, but the county has not yet provided a firm cost‑sharing proposal. Council members pressed for precise numbers and said capital costs could be large; one councilor recalled a rough figure mentioned in earlier meetings but called it unconfirmed. Staff recommended continuing negotiations and asked the council for direction once the county provides a binding cost estimate. The council indicated public‑safety benefits are important but asked staff to return with clearer financial impacts before taking final action or passing a supporting resolution.