Dispatch Contract Agreement

1. An Ordinance Approving An
Emergency Dispatch
Agreement
Presented By: Rick Pruitt
Chief of Police
Item # 5
City Council Meeting
August 27, 2018

2. 2
• The City of Alamo Heights has provided police, fire
and EMS emergency dispatch services for the City
of Olmos Park and the City of Terrell Hills since
1985
• Since 2009, an auto renewing contract has been in
place setting the contract rates for emergency
dispatch services at Alamo Heights (60%), Olmos
Park (13%) and Terrell Hills (27%) of the annual
budget for the Emergency Services
Communications Center
Background

3. 3
• In 2017, the City of Olmos Park expressed concern
for the rising costs for dispatch services
• A meeting was held between the Mayor and City
Manager of Olmos Park and the City Managers of
Alamo Heights and Terrell Hills
• The police chiefs from each city were tasked to
explore new models for dispatch rates and
determine a multi-year contract period
Background

4. 4
• Various models were examined and it was agreed
the cities would enter into a three-year contract
where Olmos Park and Terrell Hills would each pay
20% of the dispatch center personnel and operating
costs and Alamo Heights would pay 60%
• Due to the impact of a 7% increase to Olmos Park,
the agreement is structured to tier the increase
upward over the three-year contract period and
downward for Terrell Hills during the same time
period
Background

5. 5
• The emergency dispatch agreement will become
effective October 1, 2018 and will expire September
30, 2021
• Each participating city will have until July 31st of
any contract year to opt out of the agreement
• The opt out effective date is September 30th
Background

6. 6
• The City of Olmos Park City Council approved the
emergency dispatch agreement on July 19, 2018
followed by the City of Terrell Hills’ approval on
August 13, 2018
Background

7. 7
• The City of Alamo Heights has determined the
projected costs of emergency dispatch services for
FY 2018-2019 which will be applied to the
Emergency Dispatch Agreement cost share
percentages of Olmos Park and Terrell Hills
• The projections include an administrative fee for the
Police Administrative Assistant (10%) and the
Police Administrative Lieutenant (8%)
Fiscal Impact

8. 8
Dispatch Contract Period 2018 / 2021
New Contract Percentages
FY19 ($683,237)
Previous
Rates 2018-19 2019-20 2020-21
Alamo Heights 60% 60% 60% 60%
409,942 409,942 ** **
Olmos Park 13% 15.4% 17.7% 20%
88,821 105,219 120,933 136,647
Terrell Hills 27% 24.6% 22.3% 20%
184,474 168,076 152,361 136,647
** balance remaining after applying new FY cost sharing percentages for Olmos Park and Terrell Hills

9. 9
• Municipalities are authorized to enter into Interlocal
agreements by the Texas Government Code Section
791.001 and the Texas Local Government Code
Chapter 362
• Renewal of this contract would ensure all involved
cities will continue to receive the highest level of
emergency dispatch services
Policy Analysis

10. 10
• The Police Chiefs from the cities of Alamo Heights,
Olmos Park and Terrell Hills worked together to
draft the proposed Emergency Dispatch Agreement
• The City Managers and Mayors of each city met to
discuss the terms of the agreement, projected
operations costs and cost share percentages
• City Attorney Michael Brenan reviewed the
proposed Emergency Dispatch Agreement and the
Ordinance enacting the agreement
Coordination

11. 11
Discussion / Questions