Bloomfield Hills (City Manager Jay Cravens) and Bloomfield Township ( Supervisor Leo Savoie) meet, discuss and correspond over shared Emergency Dispatch options.

The correspondence, from Supervisor Leo Savoie  referenced above is posted on the City web site in the Agenda package for discussion at next Tuesday's meeting.

The topic is not without controversy in the City of Bloomfield Hills.
Two years ago, (virtually to the day- May 11th, 2010), City Manager Jay Cravens invited then Township Supervisor  Dave Payne to a City Commsion meeting  to discuss outsourcing emergency dispatch. That  almost prompted a fire storm. An overflow crowd at (then  Mayor and now State Representative) Michael McCready's  inaugural  meeting spoke in opposition to any sort of dispatch merger. 24 residents said they would prefer to pay a millage rather see the department outsourced.


Today, Cravens, a non resident, sees a different City. In his letter to City Commissioners informing them of his talks with  Savoie, he writes that in a recent City Survey, sharing services was approved by 60% of the residents. Shared dispatch however was not mentioned in the survey question he cited and when the values of City Dispatch services such as Alarm monitoring, House Key program, and House Watch are included the approval rating for City Dispatch goes to the top of the chart.

Supervisor Savoie, in his correspondence is  matter or fact and quite specific. He mentions price. He is not interested in a long term commitment but a "win/win" situation for both communities. Since the Township is in the process of interviewing he says  time is a factor.

 City Manager Cravens  says he can  have a recommendation in 45 days. He also said that the sub committee he recommends the City form  could review other dispatch options as well.