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Measure will save a significant amount of money for Cohasset, Hingham, Hull, and Norwell

July 15, 2010

(Boston) - Governor Deval L. Patrick signed into law legislation which will allow the towns of Hingham, Hull, Cohasset and Norwell to regionalize their 911 dispatch centers.  The dispatch facility will be located at the Hingham Town Hall.  The legislation was filed by Representative Garrett Bradley (D-Hingham), the late Representative Robert Nyman (D-Hanover) and Senator Robert Hedlund (R-Weymouth).

Under a plan to allow cities and towns to regionalize their dispatch centers, the Commonwealth will contribute more than $3 million in construction and operating costs to this project.  Since 2008, the Commonwealth has granted $15 million for regionalized dispatch. Once the dispatch center is operating, the communities involved could collectively save as much as $500,000 in the first year.  In the last two fiscal years, the four towns combined spent $1.5 million on emergency dispatch.

“At a time when cities and towns are making cuts in services, this legislation will allow these communities to save a significant amount of money year in and year out”, said Representative Bradley.  “In addition to the cost savings, the public will benefit from a more efficient and enhanced public safety dispatch center."

 “As tax dollars continue to be stretched, it is more imperative than ever that communities consider regionalizing services,” Hedlund said.  “The legislative process can sometimes be slow, so I thank my colleagues for quickly moving this important bill through so that the towns can start to realize much-needed savings sooner.”

"On behalf of the communities of Hingham, Norwell, Cohasset and Hull we wish to thank Representative Bradley, the late Representative Nyman, Senator Hedlund and Governor Patrick for passing and signing the regional dispatch center legislation.  This is another critical step in bringing the four-town regional dispatch center to reality.  The Center will provide for improved emergency services to over 50,000 residents and be a model for similar efforts across the Commonwealth," stated Town Administrators Kevin Paicos and Jim Boudreau, Town Managers Bill Griffin and Phil Lemnios."

Local Officials hope to have the dispatch center up and running by the end of the year.

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