LAWRENCE: Dispatchers could be privatized

By Lea Kahn, Staff Writer
   Continuing their quest for cost-savings measures to balance the 2013 municipal budget, Lawrence Township officials are exploring the possibility of hiring a private firm to provide police dispatching services.
   Township Council approved a resolution Tuesday night that authorizes Municipal Manager Richard Krawczun to seek bids to provide the service through competitive contracting. This means a contract would be awarded to the most qualified — but not necessarily the cheapest — bidder.
   But several of the Police Department dispatchers, along with audience members, made their case for retaining the seven dispatchers.
   Susan Handelman, one of the affected dispatchers, said she has worked as a Lawrence dispatcher for more than 10 years.
   ”I don’t think people realize how important it is to have seasoned — and more importantly — competent people in this job,” Ms. Handelman said. The dispatchers must be able to handle any situation “thrown our way,” and all dispatchers have undergone extensive training to be able to handle emergency and non-emergency calls, she said.
   ”Mr. Krawczun told our union representative and myself to find $350,000 to save our jobs,” said Ms. Handelman, who is the vice president for Local 2257 of the American Federation of State County and Municipal Employees, which represents the police dispatchers and other township employees.
   She reminded the council that the dispatchers have families and responsibilities, just as they do. But if the council opts to privatize the dispatching service, “we will be like so many more people who are on unemployment and have no health benefits.”
   Dispatcher Ellen McGinley, who has worked for Lawrence for nearly 15 years, said the dispatchers “know the streets, the people and the culture. We care about the residents because they are our friends, neighbors and families.”
   Dispatcher Chris Simicsak, who is a 17-year veteran, said it would not be possible to replace the Lawrence dispatchers’ experience.
   Township resident Jennifer Boyd said she was concerned about the reduction in emergency services, such as laying off police officers and now possibly police dispatchers and emergency medical technicians. While it is nice to have a Recreation Department, there is a greater need to have police officers and dispatchers, she said.
   Township resident Stephanie Baranowski agreed, and told Township Council that the quality of the dispatchers provided by a private company is an unknown. She, too, said there are other ways to save money, such as privatizing the Department of Public Works.
   Ms. Baranowski said she would prefer to have a less qualified person working for the Department of Public Works, rather than as a police dispatcher. It’s “really not fair” to “sacrifice our safety and our homes” while the Township Council members “are safe in your North Lawrence homes,” she added.
   When Councilman Michael Powers asked Mr. Krawczun if the employees could bid for the contract, he said they could do so. They could band together and make a bid, or — to save their jobs — they could offer wage concessions that would “equate to the same savings a bidder may offer,” he said.
   Mr. Krawczun said discussions with the union representatives resulted in savings of about $35,000 over the course of two meetings. The savings would have to amount to about $350,000, he said, adding that employees are welcome to become involved in generating cost efficiencies.
   The manager said prospective police dispatching service vendors are reluctant to discuss details, and that is why bids must be sought. The bid specifications prepared by Lawrence Township will detail the level of training needed by dispatchers, he said.
   When Councilwoman Cathleen Lewis asked about the status of consolidating police dispatching services with other towns, Mr. Krawczun replied it has been discussed. If the police dispatching services were to be consolidated with other towns, there is no guarantee that some of the Lawrence Township police dispatchers would keep their jobs because of state Civil Service rules.
   Mr. Krawczun explained that some neighboring towns abide by Civil Service regulations and others do not. Under consolidation, the Civil Service regulations would apply — including seniority. Some of Lawrence’s dispatchers would not remain because they may lack seniority, as compared to dispatchers from other towns, he said.
   Mr. Krawczun emphasized that he did not want anyone to leave the Township Council meeting thinking that what is taking place is “disparaging” to the Police Department dispatchers. He praised the dispatchers, but added that township officials must look at all of the issues.