More Information About The Lisbon Communications Center

LISBON COMMUNICATION CENTER

At last night’s town council meeting, our town manager announced that the town is close to signing a contract with the towns of Sabattus and Durham to provide dispatching out of the Lisbon Communication Center.  I cannot for the life of me understand what these towns are thinking. 

First and foremost, the Lisbon Communications Center DOES NOT receive 911 calls directly.  All 911 calls, whether a land line or a cell phone FIRST go to either the Lewiston/Auburn 911 Center or the Androscoggin County Dispatch.  When time is critical to the survival of a human life, every second becomes vital in determining life or death.  It makes no sense to add an additional step delaying the response time.  So for the life of me, I cannot understand how anyone can support the Lisbon Communications Center.

Now, let’s move on to the monetary side of the house.  Each town in Androscoggin County is required to pay a County Tax.  Part of this County Tax is for services being provided to each town.  One of those services is dispatching.  I cannot tell you how much County Tax the towns of Sabattus and Durham pay but Lisbon budgeted $566,440 for 2012-2013.  If Sabattus and Durham are going to pay an additional fee for dispatching going through the Lisbon Communication Center, is this not paying twice for the same service?  Where is the cost savings?  Is this really cost effective?  Doesn’t anyone have any common sense?

The County Commissioners just provided approximately $97,000 dollars to upgrade the equipment in the Androscoggin County Dispatch Center.  Doesn’t it make more sense to eliminate the middle step and reduce the response time when it comes to saving lives?  When my life is on the line, I would want the fastest means of communication to alert medical personnel to get to me in time to save my life.  I would hate to think a life was lost over a territorial battle or ones legacy. 

 Lisbon Chief of Police David T. Brooks

With Federal and State funding drying up and the economy in such a bad way, towns need to help their residents in doing all they can to reduce their operating costs.  Having to pay twice for the same service is not utilizing tax dollars very effectively.  Since towns in Androscoggin County are paying a County Tax and dispatching is part of the services available for these dollars, why pay an additional fee for a slower response time putting citizens at risk? 

I wish the County Commissioners would step in and put a stop to this incredulous insanity!!!!!!!!!!!

Larry Fillmore
Concerned Citizen