Dispatch Service Rates

1. Discussion on Subscriber
Rates for Dispatch Services
Presented By: Rick Pruitt
Chief of Police
Item # 6
City Council Meeting
February 12, 2018

2. • The City of Alamo Heights has provided police, fire
ad EMS dispatch services for the City of Olmos
Park and the City of Terrell Hills since 1985
• The rates for dispatch services to subscriber cities
and other entities was set by mutual agreement
• Between 1999 and 2008 there two different models
applied to determine rates for dispatch services
Background

3. • In 2008, a search began for a new model to
determine dispatch service rates when Olmos Park
and Terrell Hills expressed dissatisfaction with the
per capita model in place at that time
• In 2009, a new dispatch service rate model was
adopted matching the rates contracted for
emergency medical services
• In 2017, the City of Olmos Park expressed desire to
re-negotiate a lower rate for dispatch services
Background

4. • The police chiefs from each city were tasked to
explore new models for dispatch rates and
determine a multi-year contract period
• Three models were explored and a consumption
model was chosen for further study
• This study was narrowed to the years 2014 – 2016
and focused on police, fire and EMS calls for
service and self-initiated activities tasking the
dispatch office with radio traffic and record keeping
Policy Analysis

5. • The results of the study showed there would be a
significant impact on Olmos Park increasing their
annual rate from $86,347 to $247,200 (13% -
37.2%)
• In anticipation of a negative response, City
Manager Mark Browne froze the rates at the current
contract rate for each city for FY17-18
Fiscal Impact

6. • Staff explored cost share models of other dispatch
centers providing subscriber services and
calculated increases or decreases for each of our
subscriber cities
* per capita model
* fixed rate with annual consumer price index
increase
* varied styles of consumption models
Fiscal Impact

7. • Staff also calculated a model based on the 2018
EMS contract percentage rates for comparison
• The following slides represent the potential different
funding models for dispatch
• They include: the current dispatch model, per
capita model, fixed percentage model, and the
2018 EMS model
Fiscal Impact

8. Current Dispatch Rate
Fiscal Year 17-18
Shared Expense Rate Actual Shared
Alamo Heights (60%) 404,958 398,710
Olmos Park (13%) 87,741 86,387
Terrell Hills (27%) 182,231 179,419
Total: 674,930 664,516

9. Consumption Model
(+) or (-)
Alamo Heights (50.6%) - 62,465
Olmos Park (37.2%) + 160,813
Terrell Hills (12.2%) - 98,348

10. Per Capita Model (2010 Census)
(+) or (-)
Alamo Heights (49.7%) - 68,446
Olmos Park (15.8%) + 18,607
Terrell Hills (34.5%) + 49,839

11. Fixed Percentage Model
(+) or (-)
Alamo Heights (60%) 0
Olmos Park (20%) + 46,516
Terrell Hills (20%) - 46,516

12. 2018 EMS Contract Model
(+) or (-)
Alamo Heights (61.4%) + 9,303
Olmos Park (15.2%) + 14,619
Terrell Hills (23.4%) - 23,922

13. Discussion / Questions