Council declines to approve Lake County NextGen 911 final plan, citing staffing and cost concerns

Mentor on the Lake council voted not to approve the Lake County final plan for NextGen 911 after an extended discussion that centered on staffing requirements and cost estimates.

The council’s decision follows presentations and questions from city officials, including Police Chief Forsyth, who said the county-level plan would require “two dispatchers at every shift,” a standard he and other local chiefs called unnecessary for many smaller public-safety answering points (PSAPs). Chief Forsyth raised the plan’s projected costs during the discussion, saying initial equipment and training could be roughly $50,000 for a PSAP and that recurring operating costs could reach into the hundreds of thousands annually for some communities.

Councilmembers said they were especially concerned the county plan would supersede state requirements and effectively force smaller jurisdictions to staff more dispatchers than they currently retain. “If they require two dispatchers on every single shift 24/7, eventually it’s impossible for smaller agencies,” Police Chief Forsyth said. He explained that some PSAPs already operate with a single dispatcher at certain times and that technology in NextGen 911 can deliver the same capabilities regardless of a call-taker’s physical location.

Councilmembers also questioned how the county committee was selected and whether the plan’s cost assumptions had sufficient supporting documentation. One councilmember noted that Central Communications staffs roughly four dispatchers per shift to handle calls for about 15 jurisdictions and asked whether that staffing model would guarantee dedicated dispatchers for Mentor on the Lake under the county plan.

Councilmember Missus Thompson moved to approve the plan; the motion was seconded by Mister Bittner. On the roll call vote the motion failed, with all recorded votes cast as "no": Missus Moore (No); Missus Thompson (No); Mister Gray (No); Mister Bittner (No); Miss Wall (No); Mister Lander (No); Mister Johnson ("Hell no"). The motion therefore did not pass.

City officials said the county requested a response within 30 days; councilmembers debated whether a delay or a formal rejection would be treated as a negative response by the county. Members emphasized they were not rejecting the NextGen technology itself, but were reluctant to commit to the staffing and budget assumptions in the county’s final plan without more analysis and clearer justification.

The council’s action means Mentor on the Lake will not, at this meeting, endorse the county’s final NextGen 911 plan. County-level approval by commissioners and by legislative authorities representing at least 60% of the county population is required for the plan to move forward without each municipality’s support, council members noted. The city may revisit the issue after seeking additional information and cost breakdowns from county planners and the local 9-1-1 committee.