On Monday evening, May 19, the Pleasant Prairie Village Board authorized the Village Administrator to formally respond to an invitation from Kenosha County to participate in a proposed Kenosha County Dispatch Center. Village officials met with Kenosha County Executive, Mark Wisnefski and Director of Joint Services, Sue Marcinkus at Wisnefski's request on May 13. During the May 13 meeting, the groups discussed whether or not the Village had interest in consolidating dispatch services for its Police and Fire & Rescue Departments with Joint Services.
The groups discussed the availability of financial estimates related to participation in the project. A study of the related expenses is now underway and estimates are expected to be available in late summer. Also addressed was an operational difference in dispatch protocol for Fire & Rescue services between the Village and the Joint Services dispatch systems. At this time, the Joint Services is not considering any changes to operations that might accommodate a dynamic, paid-on-call Fire & Rescue system, such as Pleasant Prairie's. One additional item based on a past working relationship was also addressed, related to timely dispatching for police support within the Village.
In early April, the Village began updating its Public Safety Dispatch Center located in the Roger Prange Municipal Building on Green Bay Road. The renovations will give Pleasant Prairie's Dispatch the added capacity it needs to handle an increasing volume of public safety calls. At present, it handles roughly 18,000 calls annually. The projected number of annual calls for 2010 is near 22,500. In addition to taking public safety calls and dispatching for the Police and Fire & Rescue departments, the center: provides record keeping support, dispatches for after-hours emergency utility calls; and serves several other support functions.
A letter thanking the County for their consideration, addressing operational concerns and requesting results of the financial study when it becomes available was sent to County officials. The letter also expressed that consolidation, at this time, would not be in the best interest of emergency response within the Village of Pleasant Prairie.