ATHOL — The town’s three emergency services unions have submitted letters objecting to proposed regionalization of their dispatching and blasting what members view as a mishandled process to achieve it.
Unions representing Athol’s firefighters, police officers and dispatchers filed formal opposition with the Board of Selectmen, which two of the letters contend did not properly gather input from the unions. The proposal is to consolidate Athol police and fire dispatch with that of Gardner and operate in a regional emergency communication center in the new Gardner police station.
Athol and Gardner entered into an intermunicipal agreement in March 2015 to regionalize its dispatch services. But the unions say their members were not sufficiently consulted before the decision. They also challenge the feasibility study.
The letter from the Professional Firefighters of Athol Local 1751 states no active members were formally interviewed about the proposal. The Athol Police Dispatchers say they have “been kept in the dark about the process, had no input into the feasibility study whatsoever, and weren’t even notified of scheduled meetings between Athol and Gardner until July of this year.”
The Fire Department dispatches Athol’s firefighters.
The police dispatchers also say there were no discussions between Town Manager Shaun A. Suhoski and the the dispatchers’ union, the firefighters’ union, or New England Police Benevolent Association Local 59, the police union.
The three letters also touch on the safety of the public and emergency personnel. The firefighters’ union states the town has not addressed issues that may result from “disrupting decades of established practice and transferring everyday operations and occupational responsibilities to another town.” The firefighters also say they have not been assured regional dispatchers will be Emergency Fire Dispatcher certified. Without this certification, the firefighters say, dispatching is potentially unsafe and inadequate.
The letter from the firefighters’ union also states there is little working relationship between the Athol and Gardner fire departments.
“Dispatchers from a community as far away as Gardner have little familiarity with our streets, residents and frequently-responded-to addresses,” the letter states. “The union feels that a regression in Athol Fire dispatch quality is more likely than not under regionalization.”
Members of the dispatchers’ union worry about police officer safety. Its letter states dispatchers are familiar with “frequent flyers” — or people with numerous prior run-ins with the law — and that helps them ensure officers have the resources to keep themselves safe. The letter states there is no way dispatchers in Gardner can gain this type of familiarity without years of experience working with Athol’s officers and residents.
The letters from the police and dispatchers’ unions also express concern about having an unmanned police station in town. Both state the dispatchers handle a tremendous level of walk-in traffic each day.
The police union’s letter, penned by Officers Corey J. Chauvette and Todd Neale, the NEPBA Local 59 president and vice president respectively, states Athol dispatchers also handle prisoner watch.
“The state of Massachusetts requires by law that a prisoner is physically checked every 30 minutes. A prisoner who is considered suicidal is required by law to be checked every 15 minutes,” according to the letter. “In the event a prisoner watch goes unfilled, this would require a police officer to be removed from patrolling the streets, potentially leaving one officer to respond to calls for service.”
This, the letter states, puts police officers at substantial risk of harm or death.
All three unions also question the cost-savings that officials say regionalization will bring.
Athol Town Manager Shaun A. Suhoski said Gardner and Athol public safety leaders have been meeting about this project for more than a year.
Frank Pozniak, the executive director of the State 911 Department, sent a letter to Suhoski and Gardner Mayor Mark P. Hawke last month informing them all required approvals with his department have been obtained. In light of this and the pending installation of equipment, the towns “are now moving into a period of engagement with our employees and their unions,” according to Suhoski.
Hawke told The Recorder his town earlier this year received a nearly $1 million State 911 Regional Development Grant for regionalization.
Suhoski said Athol’s current and retired police and fire chiefs support this effort, due to enhanced 911 technology and the fact that Athol and Gardner have fiber optic connectivity and radio tower back-up 12 miles apart.
“I remain confident we will make this work just as most of western Massachusetts has made it work,” he said in an email, in an apparent reference to the Shelburne Control dispatch service that serves most of Franklin County’s police, fire and ambulances.
Suhoski said he believes regionalization would be implemented no sooner than a year from now. He also said regionalization has numerous benefits, including savings that allow the hiring of an additional police officer at no added cost to the tax base, improved equipment and radio communications, and having three dispatchers on duty. Athol currently has one to two, he said.
The town manager also said there will be no lay-offs or drops in pay for any dispatcher.
Lee Chauvette, Athol Board of Selectmen chairman, voiced his objection at a meeting on Tuesday. He explained a conflict of interest left him unable to comment at the March 2015 meeting when the intermunicipal agreement was signed. His son was once a part-time dispatcher and is now the president of NEPBA Local 59. But the elder Chauvette produced a letter from the State Ethics Commission stating he can speak on the matter, following full disclosure of his connection to the Police Department.
“The people of Athol have been kept out of the loop. There has been absolutely no citizen input,” Chauvette said on Tuesday, adding that he is not opposed to regionalization, but rather the process used. “This is the most appalling piece of action I’ve ever seen in this community. That’s just my opinion.”
Gardner Police Chief Neil C. Erickson, who was sitting in the audience, said this effort is “not happening overnight, by any stretch of the imagination.”
Athol Town Counsel Mark A. Goldstein said Athol can exit the intermunicipal agreement, but it will take 18 months’ notice.
Hawke, who was also at Tuesday’s meeting, told The Recorder union members were invited to several meetings pertaining to regionalization, but few ever showed up. He mentioned regionalization of animal control services has worked “splendidly” for Gardner, Hubbardston and Westminster. The service is based in Gardner.
“No one has complained, ‘They’re not based out of my community,’” he said. “I’m a huge fan of regionalization.
“I’m not saying that there’s not going to be a hiccup,” he added. “Every time you do something new there’s going to be a hiccup. But you learn by doing.”
You can reach Domenic Poli at: dpoli@recorder.com
or 413-772-0261, ext. 258.
On Twitter: @DomenicPoli