News

By Tim O’Meilia
    
For the second time in two years, the Manalapan Town Commission rejected bids from outside agencies to handle the town’s police dispatch services.
Both neighboring Ocean Ridge and Lantana submitted proposals well under the town’s $241,600 annual dispatch costs, but Point Manalapan residents called for the dispatch center/gatehouse at the entrance to the point to continue to be manned 24 hours a day.
Hiring guards to man the center would add $122,000 to $148,000 annually to the cost of outsourcing the dispatch services, town officials estimated.
“I was surprised at the amount of money involved,” Town Commissioner David Cheifetz said. “Given the spread between the two costs, I suggest we stay (with our own dispatch).”
Commissioners voted 5-1 to continue their own dispatching.
“Looking clinically, it’s a $100,000 savings that will appreciate over time,” said Commissioner Donald Brennan, who opposed keeping the service.
He suggested that using the dispatch center as a police substation where officers would be there occasionally was a better solution.
“With the cost of the gatehouse, it’s obvious to me that we stay as we are,” said Commissioner Bill Quigley.
During the last two meetings, Point residents said that having the gatehouse manned, even if by unarmed dispatchers, discourages crime on the south end of Hypoluxo Island.
“I think it would hurt property values if we didn’t have a gatehouse,” said Point resident and former Commissioner Tom Thornton. “To me, it’s a wash.”
Ocean Ridge’s bid added to first year implementation costs was $204,800. Lantana’s was $240,100. Staffing the gatehouse would cost another $130,000 or so. The town’s estimate to continue with dispatching was $241,600.
    The second year, without start-up costs, Ocean Ridge would cost $153,300, Lantana $207,200 and Manalapan $248,800.
Under questioning, both Manalapan Police Chief Carmen Mattox and Ocean Ridge Police Chief Chris Yannuzzi said police response time to calls should not be affected by farming out dispatching.
Two Manalapan police officers urged the commission to consider their strong working relationship with the Lantana and South Palm Beach police departments.
Manalapan and South Palm Beach use each other for backup, and Manalapan officers are familiar with Lantana officers since they drive through part of Hypoluxo Island to reach the point.
Three full-time and four part-time dispatchers handle the town’s handful of 911 calls and about 400 non-emergency calls per month.
The cheaper contracts negotiated by neighboring towns for dispatch services prompted commissioners to seek proposals. South Palm Beach pays Lantana $54,000 annually, and Gulf Stream pays Delray Beach $54,000.
Previously, Manalapan handled South Palm Beach calls, but Lantana underbid the town several years ago.