Blackstone takes cautious approach to regionalizing dispatch services

Negotiations with Millville could push an agreement out a year

BLACKSTONE — The Blackstone selectmen are poised to negotiate an intermunicipal agreement to regionalize dispatch services with Millville, but the board is taking a cautious approach, saying those talks will take time to ensure the regional agreement benefits both towns.

If the two towns do decide to regionalize it won’t likely happen for another year, maybe more.

“It’s going to take a while because there are a lot of concerns and issues that need to be addressed,” Blackstone Police Chief Ross Atstupenas told selectmen Tuesday. “Each town needs to look at what they are willing to give and what they are willing to give up. There’s a lot to think about.”

Millville selectmen voted last month to approach Blackstone to see if public safety and town officials in both towns can explore developing a regional dispatch communications agreement. The Millville board’s vote to approach Blackstone was the result of informal discussions between Atstupenas, Millville Police Chief Ronald Landry, Millville Town Administrator

“Each town needs to look at what they are willing to give and what they are willing to give up. There’s a lot to think about.” —Blackstone Police Chief Ross Atstupenas

Jennifer Callahan and Blackstone Town Administrator Daniel Keyes at a recent administrative meeting.

The concept is not a new. The two towns tried to negotiate a similar agreement years ago but were unable to reach an accord. As a result, Millville ended up entering into a regional dispatch agree- ment with the town of Mendon.

The regional agreement with Mendon expires in November and Millville officials say they want to explore regionalizing with Blackstone because Mendon’s radio system is unable to transmit a clear signal to Millville, despite a technology upgrade by Mendon last year that were supposed to solve the problem. Blackstone’s radio system is more compatible with Millville and therefore Millville is reaching out to that community.

“The Millville Board of Selectmen wants to demonstrate to Blackstone that Millville is both sincere and truly committed in its desire to negotiate in good faith and in as transparent a manner as possible,” Millville Town Administrator Jennifer Callahan said in a letter to the Blackstone Town Administrator Daniel Keyes.

“The Millville Board of Selectmen also realizes there has been a history of previous negotiations in which attempts to produce an agreement was not arrived at between the two towns,” Callahan’s letter continues. “The board does not want to repeat that history and we remain hopeful that an agreement between the two towns to share public safety dispatch communications is possible.”

In her letter, Callahan suggested designating a negotiations subcommittee that would be made up of two selectmen from each town, the two town administrators and the police and fire chiefs from each town.

The Blackstone selectmen say they are willing to explore the idea as long as there is a benefit for both towns and that both communities can define the pros and cons and quantify the financial implications of such a move.

The Blackstone board is expected to take an official vote to enter into negotiations with Millville at its next meeting in two weeks.

Atstupenas said there are a number of issues that need to be addressed during negotiations, including health care costs, salaries, retirements, and replacing equipment, to name a few.

Blackstone Selectman Robert J. Dubois said no permanent decision should be made until that process is completed. Dubois also reiterated that all selectmen from both towns, as well as the police and fire chiefs, be involved in the negotiations.

“There’s a lot we don’t know,” he said. “Next year, we’re going to start negotiating with the unions again and dispatch is one of them, so we’re going to have to factor that in.”

“This has got to be a good thing for Blackstone,” said Selectmen Michael Catalano. “We want to help, but we don’t want to come up short. It has to help Blackstone.” Follow Joseph Fitzgerald on Twitter @jofitz7