Funds for the last phase of upgrading the village’s dispatch area have finally been given the green light by Lake Orion Village council members.
LO Police Chief Jerry Narsh told council members on Nov. 22 he anticipates an additional $11,000 to complete the project that was started earlier this year.
Another $8,000 for the remodeling is also left in a fund donated by the Downtown Development Authority.
Upgrading of the center located in the back part of the village hall consisted of three phases. The first included the enlarging of the lobby window and installation of ballistic glass.
Narsh said there are still some parts needed to complete the second phase which includes the installation of a keypad entry locking system on the inner lobby door and entry door to the police department.
‘Dispatch opened in 1980. We didn’t have 911 and very little in the way of a computer system. Nothing’s been replaced. It’s (the dispatch center) is in use 24/7,? he added.
Councilman Douglas Dendel was the only one to vote no on Narsh’s request.
‘We’ve given them a lot of money. It’s not fair. We haven’t been skimping on the police,? he said.
Dendel is worried about the village’s cash flow. ‘We keep tapping into the general fund. We’ve got to start taking a look at some of these things. We’ve got some other projects coming up — like Newton and Hauxwell,? he added.
Van Tassel told council members up to $20,000 could be returned to the general fund after the final bills are paid for construction of the North Shore Bridge. She also indicated monies for the upgrading of the storm drain on Park Island won’t be taken out this fiscal year.
She believes the remodeling will increase the efficiency of the dispatch center.
Narsh said members of the police department have volunteered to tear out the offices themselves before the remodeling work is done.