Morton (N.D.) Eyes Merging Dispatchers with Burleigh System
The Mandan-Morton County Communications Advisory Board wants to study merging its emergency communication dispatchers with those at the Bismarck-Burleigh (N.D.) Combined Communications Center.
The proposal is only in the discussion stage, said Morton County Emergency Manager Tom Doering on Tuesday.
Members of the advisory board include Mandan Police Chief Dennis Bullinger, Mandan Fire Chief Steve Nardello, Morton County Sheriff Dave Shipman, Dan Schafer of Metro Ambulance Service, Morton County Commissioner Cody Schulz and Mandan Mayor Arlyn Van Beek.
“They’ve decided to bring the issue to Bismarck (entities) to see if there is interest,” Doering said.
Doering said the Morton County Advisory Board favors doing the study without a consultant. It’s believed the advisory board members can call other entities to compare how they manage large communication service centers. North Dakota State Radio would also be contacted, he said.
“The biggest reason is when the new jail opens in Bismarck, Morton County has plans to move its dispatch center to another part of the Law Enforcement Center in Mandan,” Doering said.
He explained Burleigh County and Bismarck also are discussing where to place its dispatchers. A study is planned on how to deal with the cramped quarters of the combined communication center at the Bismarck Airport.
Mike Dannenfelzer, manager of the Bismarck Burleigh Combined Communications Center, could not be reached.
Tom Porter, chairman of the Bismarck-Burleigh Combined Communication User Board, said the proposal will be discussed at the user board’s Aug. 22 meeting. The meeting will be held 10 a.m. at the combinedcommunications center in Bismarck.
“We’ve always held an open door to Morton County and Mandan, any time they would like to see what the model would look like,” he said.
Porter said it makes sense because officers and deputies in Morton County could view what deputies in Burleigh County and Bismarck are seeing.
“It could be a one-look computer-aided dispatch center,” he said.
Doering said if any agreement is reached in the future, it would specify that the Morton County and Mandan dispatchers would keep their jobs. Porter agreed. He said there are dispatcher openings on both sides of the river.
Doering said the concept would go back to the Mandan-Morton advisory board after they receive comments from the Bismarck area entities. If interest is strong, the proposal will move to the Morton County Commission.
The merger proposal is not tied to the 2017 completion of the Burleigh-Morton combined county jail, according to Doering.
“We don’t have a timeline on this,” Doering said.
He added the advisory board’s suggestion came after he submitted his communication budget to the Morton County Commission, but said county commission could make budget changes.
“We are just in the information-gathering stage,” Schulz said. “We have input from our side of the river. We just want to see if Burleigh County and Bismarck have interest.
“The time is right for discussion since Burleigh County is having space limitations for its dispatchers,” he added.
He noted that Morton County also plans to renovate its facilities when the new jail is built.