911! Town unsure of dispatcher wording
Questions on referendum structure
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While the Town Board has decided to put on the November ballot the question of whether to keep town-controlled police dispatchers, it still hasn't decided how the referendum will be worded.
The main argument centers on whether the language on the ballot should ask voters if they want "to pay $950,000 to keep the dispatchers," or if they want "to transfer the function to the county."
The difference is that a voter who wants to keep the dispatchers would have to vote 'yes' on the former question, but 'no' on the latter.
"So, in order to keep them, you'd have to have a 'no' vote?" Councilman John Dunleavy asked at a recent public work session. "I think it's confusing. I think people will think the affirmative vote will keep them."
The Town Board voted last November to shift the dispatcher function to Suffolk County as of June 30. Supervisor Phil Cardinale included the change in his proposed budget for 2009, saying that town residents already pay for county dispatching services that they don't use.
In adopting the 2009 budget in November, only Councilman Jim Wooten opposed the shift.
The board also decided in May that the referendum should read: "Should the Town of Riverhead add the sum of $950,000 to the 2010 Town Budget and succeeding Town Budgets, through the collection of taxes from Riverhead taxpayers, to retain the Town of Riverhead safety dispatch function, a function for which Suffolk County taxes Riverhead taxpayers and is legally required to provide based upon the taxation of Riverhead taxpayers?"
The board later had second thoughts about that language and was ready to change it last Tuesday, but a resolution to that effect was tabled so the employees' union could review it, according to Mr. Wooten.
"The original wording sounded like we were saying, 'You don't really want to do this, do you?'ââ" Mr. Wooten said.
The revised language, which has yet to be approved, is as follows: "Should the Town of Riverhead transfer the dispatch function to the County of Suffolk?"
An abstract that accompanies the referendum states that "if the referendum is approved, the Town of Riverhead will transfer the safety dispatch function to the County of Suffolk. If the referendum is not approved, the Town of Riverhead would add the sum of approximately $950,000 to the 2010 town budget and succeeding budgets, through the collection of taxes from Riverhead residents, to retain the safety dispatch function."
The $950,000 figure was based on what the town spent on dispatching last year, including overtime costs paid to police officers who filled in as dispatchers when no dispatchers were available, according to town officials.
Initially, town officials said the cost of the dispatchers was $710,000, which accounted for salaries and benefits for nine dispatchers.
Mr. Wooten said he also has questions about whether the $950,000 figure is accurate.
According to the Suffolk County Board of Elections, the town must submit the final wording of the referendum no later than 36 days before the Nov. 4 election -- or Sept. 28.
tgannon@timesreview.com
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