By Shannon McFarlin WENK/WTPR News Director
Paris, Tenn.—The Henry County 911 Board continues moving forward on a planned Central Dispatch system, with a meeting to be set up with county and city of Paris officials in the near future to discuss logistics and financials.
A subcommittee headed by Paris Police Chief Chuck Elizondo has been meeting with dispatch systems in other locations, including Hardin and Dickson Counties, with at least one more meeting with another county planned.
At its Wednesday afternoon meeting, the board looked ahead to the future possibility that the Central Dispatch could be located in the Henry County Emergency Management building on Brewer St.
The board unanimously rejected the possibility of purchasing the WTPR building next door following discussion and a review of the building appraisal.
911 Director Mark Archer told the board that for a Central Dispatch system to work, it should be a separate entity. To that end, he told the board that the WTPR building was available for purchase.
“The Central Dispatch would need to be on its own, so the next question would be: where do we locate?” Archer asked.
If the board purchased the 911 building, Archer said, that may placed added stress on the 911 administrators having to maintain two buildings. “We actually could divide up the building we’re in now and have everything under one roof.”
Archer said it would be nice to have the WTPR building especially since it is right next door, “but if it stretches us too thin, then it would not be a good idea.”
Board Member Richie Chilcutt said renovation of the WTPR building to suit the purposes of a Central Dispatch would be expensive and he made a motion that the idea of purchasing the WTPR building be abandoned.
In other reports, Archer said the 911 Controller, CAD, and radio console have been installed and are working smoothly. He said the CAD system should last the board 15 years. “This will keep us in good shape for quite a while.”
–Archer announced that he was appointed to the state 911 board for a three-year term by Gov. Bill Haslam and that he has been nominated to be the chairman of the board.
He thanked board members for letters of support they wrote and Board President John Etheridge said, “Your reputation and your abilities to work with the public are responsible for you being appointed.”
–Board members thanked Sheriff Monte Belew for the manner in which he and his department handled today’s emergency situation with the suspicious package placed at the Security Bank branch.
Photo by Shannon McFarlin.
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