This summer, the Select Board came up with the list of issues/tasks they are looking to tackle or make headway on this year.
I’m combining them in a series of posts by goal categories. This one includes next steps to deal with Fire and Police Dispatch issues, plus six other items. Read the full article → from Select Board FY24 Goals (& Public Safety Dispatch next steps)
Following up on guidance by Town Meeting, the Select Board took a new vote on whether to remain in or withdraw from an agreement with Westborough and Grafton to form a regional public safety dispatch center. Read the full article → from Select Board withdraws from Dispatch IMA
This letter to the editor from residents Bonnie Phaneuf and John Butler to publicly urges the Select Board “not delay in honoring the nearly unanimous request of Town Meeting that the Town withdraw from the current IMA agreement” for the regional dispatch center in Westborough. Read the full article → from Letter: Select Board shouldn’t wait to withdraw from Dispatch IMA (Updated)
On Saturday, voters who stuck around long enough to hear the last few Citizen Petition Articles informed Select Board members that they weren’t happy with plans for regionalizing emergency communications. Read the full article → from ATM Voters disfavor Regionalization of Public Safety Dispatch
Voters approved a lot of important town business over the course of nine hours on Saturday. Read the full article → from Town Meeting vote results
The Advisory Committee asked me to make its annual report to Town Meeting voters available to readers. Read the full article → from Annual Town Meeting: Advisory Report & Budget Articles (Updated)
This letter the the editor from the President of Southborough Communications Officers’ union and the Vice President of Southborough Police Officers’ union explains their Citizen Petition Article to keep Emergency Dispatch Services in Southborough and asks voters to support it. Read the full article → from Letter: Vote for Citizen Petition Article to keep Emergency Dispatch Services under Southborough control
This letter to the editor from the Southborough Police and Fire Chiefs explains why they “strongly support the transition to a Regional Emergency Communications Center”. Read the full article → from Letter: Fire and Police Chief on Regionalizing Public Safety Dispatch
Two weeks ago, the Select Board approved entering the agreement to form a Regional Dispatch Center with Westborough and Grafton on a remediated former superfund site*. Read the full article → from Public Dispatch Regionalization Update
As of yesterday, seven petitions qualified for placement on the Warrant for the March 25th Annual Town Meeting. Read the full article → from Several Citizen Petitions headed to Town Meeting (Updated)
Tonight, the Southborough Select Board is holding a special meeting. The main purpose is to consider, and potentially vote on, the IMA (Inter-Municipal Agreement) to set up a Dispatch Center other MetroWest towns.
Now they’ll be discussing what to do with the number of Towns whittled down to just three. Read the full article → from Select Board tonight on Regional Dispatch IMA (Updated)
Southborough Police are investigating an incident of an apparently kicked (but not kicked-in) front door. It’s one of the many updates I’m sharing related to the SPD.
Another item I should highlight is tonight’s Select Board vote on an agreement to work with 3 other Towns to establish a public safety Regional Dispatch Center for in Westborough. Read the full article → from Police Alert & Updates
This letter to the editor from the President of the Southborough Communications Officers Union publicly advocates for a “locally based public safety communications and 911 dispatching, and a police headquarters that is staffed 24 hours a day.” Read the full article → from Letter: A regional dispatch center is wrong for our community
The public is invited to “learn about and discuss” the potential for replacing Southborough’s dispatch service with a shared regional service. Read the full article → from Regional Dispatch Public Forum