The City of Puyallup plans to spend about $650,000 to move its 911 call center to a bigger space.
The relocation, approved by the City Council last week, comes as Pierce County plans for the regional dispatch agency that won voter approval in November. Puyallup hasn’t decided whether to join.
Even if it does, the new South Sound 911 agency likely won’t be fully operational for a few years, and Puyallup needs more space for dispatch now, city officials said. The city also may have to continue dispatching for departments such as public works, said Glenda Carino, city spokeswoman.
Puyallup dispatches for its own police, public works, streets and parks departments, as well as the Bonney Lake and Sumner police departments, Metro Animal Services and the Puyallup Fair.
“This move allows us to meet our current needs and contractual obligations for our current users,” said Ron Tiedeman, the city’s director of IT and communications.
The city’s current communications center is in leased space on Pierce College’s Puyallup campus. Tiedeman said it’s too small, with about 800 square feet for dispatch operations. The cramped quarters have led to problems such as cross-traffic on calls, he said.
The new facility is about a quarter-mile away and has nearly four times the space for dispatch, Tiedeman said. The city already owns the building and keeps its public works administration there.
The remodel, estimated to wrap up in April, will separate the dispatch area and bring it up to national standards, Tiedeman said.
The City Council last week awarded the construction contract to Regency NW Construction. The vote was 6-1.
Councilman Don Malloy cast the no vote. He said this week that he felt the council should make a decision about joining South Sound 911 before approving the relocation and the expense associated with it.
The dispatch move has been in the works for a few years, city officials said. Construction will be paid for with money from a technology bond – funds that must be spent on IT/communications projects, Tiedeman said.
Meanwhile, county leaders are moving ahead with plans for South Sound 911 after last month’s election. County voters approved a one-tenth of 1 percent sales tax increase to help pay for the new agency, including two new dispatch facilities and upgraded radio equipment.
Kevin Phelps, deputy county executive, said the dispatch facilities could be done in 2 12 years. He said he hopes Puyallup will come on board.
“Our group has always been committed to having a consolidated, regional model,” he said. “We envision a day in the future where Puyallup is part of this system.”
Puyallup city officials expressed concerns in the months leading up to the November election, including that the city already has invested millions in a communications system that works well. They also said they had unanswered questions about the new agency.
At some point, the City Council – which will have four new faces next year – likely will discuss the idea again, said Carino, the city spokeswoman.
“We’ve always said when the county has more information, they should bring it to us,” she said.
Sara Schilling: 253-552-7058 sara.schilling@thenewstribune.com blog.thenewstribune.com/street
JOIN THE DISCUSSION | Register here
We welcome comments. Please keep them civil, short and to the point. ALL CAPS, spam, obscene, profane, abusive and off topic comments will be deleted. Repeat offenders will be blocked. Thanks for taking part — and abiding by these simple rules. A thorough explanation of rules of conduct can be found in our Terms of Service. If you have any questions, including why your comment may not be showing immediately after you submit it, be sure to visit the commenting FAQ.