Austintown Township Trustees are looking into possibly increasing rates for other agencies using their dispatch center.

Trustees say the dispatching is damaging the township's general fund because rates per call are going up. That's why trustees are looking to increase the rates for other agencies to use the dispatch center.

During the meeting, Austintown Township Administrator Mark D'Apolito said the township conducted a review of its dispatch center costs and determined that "significant cost increases" would be necessary to maintain high quality services for the townships that use the dispatch center.

D'Apolito said the total expenses for the dispatch center in 2024 were $2,544,826 and the anticipated expenses for 2025 are $2,710,239. That's an increase of $165,413.

Aside from Austintown, the following other communities and agencies use the dispatch center:

- Milton Township

- Craig Beach 

- Beloit Village

- Jackson Township 

- Ellsworth Township 

- Lowellville 

- Coitsville 

- New Middletown 

- Beaver Township 

- Poland Village 

- Poland Township

- Springfield Township

A letter was sent to these agencies showing the rate increases with the agencies having until March 14 to approve and return those agreements or inform the township they plan to change dispatch centers by February 14.

Any agency who notifies the township of a change in dispatch centers by this date will have the 2024 rates from Austintown's dispatch center honored until April 1 to allow for an orderly transition.

However, if an approved and fully-executed dispatch service agreement is not in place by April, Austintown will terminate that agency's services with its dispatch center.

"We're serious about these cost increases. If [these agencies] inform us in writing of their intentions to shop or if they provide us with a transition plan, we'll work with them on costs. But if we don't put some urgency to them, that will not occur," D'Apolito said.

Trustees added that they are hoping to have a meeting with these agencies that use the dispatch center to see where they can come up with the money or if they can negotiate with other dispatch centers for lower costs.

This meeting will be set up at the trustees' staff meeting on Monday, January 27.