NORTH WILDWOOD – Despite union opposition and residents’ claims that emergency response times would suffer, the City Council passed a resolution authorizing an agreement with Cape May County for dispatch services through its central 911 dispatch operation, with only Councilwoman Peggy Bishop opposed to the measure.

“I feel better-served by local emergency services,” Bishop said.

The agreement would begin Feb. 1, 2025, and run until Jan. 31, 2030. The cost will be determined on an annual basis but was estimated to be about $380,000 per year.

Recognizing there were more than a few people wishing to speak on the resolution at the Aug. 20 meeting, Council President Sal Zampiri opened public comment early as a courtesy to those attending. Normally there is no public comment allowed on resolutions until the specified public comment period, just prior to adjournment.

A number of people, including two city dispatchers and the Local 1036 union president, spoke against the move, saying the public received better service by the city’s having its own dispatch service, with at least one person saying she would gladly pay the extra cost to the city.

Mayor Patrick Rosenello told the public the decision was not a budgetary one. He said he appreciated the comments from people who opposed the move, but that this was not a decision that he or the council would make based on anecdotal information.

On the other hand, he said he was more inclined to take the advice of the police administration, including Chief Katherine Madden, and would not overrule them in this matter. Furthermore, he said, no one from the rank-and-file police department, fire department or EMS had objected to joining the county centralized 911 dispatch system, adding, “And they are the ones whose lives are in danger more than anyone’s.”

“I think it’s the right answer, the responsible answer, and it’s irresponsible to ignore recommendations,” Rosenello said. “The old model is not working.”

The “old model” he was referring to is towns running their own dispatch systems, which he said are habitually short-staffed, and attempting to supplement the full-time staff with seasonal workers.

Adam Liebtag, the president of the union representing the three full-time dispatchers working for the North Wildwood Police Department, said the county dispatch center is likewise short-staffed. Liebtag said the city could expand its services and hire more dispatchers, which he said no chief has done in recent years.

“If you continue to under-resource, you will continue to be under-resourced,” he said, suggesting the short-staffing was based on administrative policies.

Liebtag said the county needs the North Wildwood dispatchers to fill in for people leaving their positions with the county. He added that the city’s dispatchers would not be getting a good deal in wages and benefits.

Madden said the dispatchers would be paid less per hour in county dispatch positions, for which they are eligible to apply, but the city would make up the difference from what they are currently paid.

Liebtag said the impact on taxes of keeping the dispatchers was fairly minimal — $74 per year on a home valued at $400,000 or $120 per year on a $650,000 home.

Karen Montez, a 13-year veteran dispatcher in North Wildwood, said the county dispatch system is over-stressed now, and there are plans to add Ocean View Fire, Sea Isle City and, if approved, North Wildwood. She spoke of long waits for services in January and February, mentioning a time when it took central dispatch five minutes to call for an ambulance, before it even rolled.

“Ten minutes to wait for a heart attack victim is too long,” she said.

Montez said there were calls in the summer for fire or ambulance service that were getting dropped because county dispatchers didn’t know where the site was located, and local residents were giving locations based on landmarks rather than addresses.

A part-time resident, Dave Camarro, who has worked in public safety for 49 years in Montgomery County, Pennsylvania, said there are much larger municipalities that depend on central dispatches, and while problems are inevitable, he said the system is working very well.

Rosenello said he trusts that county dispatch is in good hands under the direction of Christopher Leusner, the retired police chief and current mayor of Middle Township.

Contact the reporter, Christopher South, at csouth@cmcherald.com or 609-886-8600, ext. 128.