Liberty 911 talk draws crowd

LIBERTY - A standing-room only crowd packed Monday's trustees meeting to make their voices heard regarding the possible loss of their 911 dispatch center.

Citing financial concerns, trustees are considering closing the township's dispatch center and moving its operations to the county's center in Howland.

''Our taxpayers and voters should have a final say in this like they did last time,'' said Michael Janovick, Liberty police sergeant and OPBA representative.

''The people of Liberty want to vote on this,'' said Carol Faustino, resident and president of the Liberty Historical Society. ''If they vote it down, it's the people's choice.''

Also in the crowd was state Sen. Capri Cafaro, a Liberty resident, who stood to voice her opinions as a member of the community.

''As a Liberty resident, this is not the kind of thing we should be looking at,'' she said. ''Please, don't take the right away from the people of this community. Let them decide.''

A levy to maintain the township's dispatch was approved by voters in 2008. It remains in effect through 2012, but trustees argue that the rising cost of running it has outgrown the levy.

''In 2008, we passed a one-and-a-quarter mill levy,'' said trustee Stan Nudell. ''That millage isn't bringing in enough. If you want to continue this levy we will have to increase it to 1.5 mills.''

Nudell explained that if the township went with Trumbull County, it would cost approximately $42,000 per year, a significant savings of the almost $300,000 it costs to run the dispatch now.

According to Nudell, it cost about $298,000 in 2011 to run the 911 center, while only taking in $270,000.

Not everyone in attendance was arguing for the continuation of the center, however.

''What are we doing here? We're broke,'' said resident Ed Palumbo. ''We've got an opportunity to save some money. We've got an opportunity to move forward.''

The trustees also reiterated several times that nothing had been or was being decided.

''The trustees felt it necessary at this time to see if there was some way of saving money,'' Nudell said. ''No decisions have been reached. We will continue negotiations and we are willing to listen and hear what you want.''

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Liberty 911 talk draws crowd