19-full-time dispatchers on duty in Downbeach; consolidation discussions ongoing

By SUZANNE MARINO
Staff Writer
They man the phones 24-hours a day, answering calls for help in the middle of the night, keeping a calm voice on the line until authorities arrive. They dispatch police and firefighters to the scene. They are the communications officers or dispatchers.
The Borough of Longport and the cities of Margate and Ventnor each have their own dispatchers housed in their respective municipal complexes, a total of 19 full-time and three part-time employees between the three towns.
In Margate the dispatchers recently settled their contract with the city, a three-year deal that is retroactive to Jan. 1, 2005 through Dec. 31, 2007.
The new pact gives dispatchers a 4 percent increase in the first year, 4 percent for this year, and 4.5 percent for the final year of the contract.
The base salary for a dispatcher in Margate is now $29,867. The city employs seven full-time communications operators and each receives full health benefits.
Longport has four full-time and three part-time dispatchers. Full-time employees with the borough receive fully paid benefits.
Ventnor has eight full-time dispatchers who receive full paid health benefits, as do all city employees. Drew McCrossen, administrator for Ventnor, said discussions are ongoing about consolidating the dispatchers of the three communities.
“Maybe this is an idea whose time has come,” he told The Current.
“There is an ongoing feasibility study on the consolidation of department services. We have met several times and received a preliminary proposal from an outside consultant,” said McCrossen.
There are a number of issues that would have bearing on the consolidation of any services.
Tom Hiltner, administrator for Margate and Longport said, “We have been involved with a feasibility study. One of the problems is matching up the hardware in use in the different towns. The topic of consolidation and shared service is ongoing.”
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