Gorham’s dispatching center will move to the county’s bunker in Windham about a week ahead of the Sept. 12 vote on whether to overturn the Town Council’s decision to merge its dispatching services with the county.
“We have a target date of Sept. 6,” County Communications Director Bill Holmes said of full transition to county dispatching.
Gorham’s Town Council voted, 4-2, on Aug. 2 to approve a two-year contract with Cumberland County. Gorham signed the contract on Aug. 16, and the county assumed Gorham dispatching duties the following day in Gorham’s dispatching center with county employees. The county hired five Gorham dispatchers.
A citizens’ petition submitted last week forced a referendum, asking the town’s voters to nullify the council’s decision to consolidate. But a voters’ veto of the council action might not lead to restoration of dispatching at Gorham Public Safety.
“It’s critical that people understand it doesn’t automatically bring dispatching back to Gorham,” said Gorham Town Manager David Cole.
If voters disapprove of the consolidation with county, Cole said the council would have three options. He said it could vote the same again, reverse itself completely restoring dispatching to Gorham, or approve an amended motion.
Holmes said he understands the vote and respects the process. “We’ve enjoyed working with Gorham public safety officials, dispatchers and citizens in Gorham,” he said.
Gearing up for next week’s switch, Holmes said a system that records all radio and telephone calls will be transferred from Gorham to the county’s communication center. He said a microwave system linking the town and the county computers has been installed.
Holmes also said radio “repeaters,” boosting transmission signals between county dispatching and Gorham police, fire department and public works, have been relocated from Gorham to the county bunker. “There have been no problems. Things are running very smoothly,” Holmes said.
And Cole agreed. “The transition is going fine,” he said. “Regional dispatch is done everywhere and doing well.”
But Trixi Morin, a former Gorham dispatcher who didn’t apply for a job with the county, said there have been problems in Gorham since the county took over dispatching. “It’s not going smooth,” Morin said.
Morin said there have been communication problems for Gorham police officers and rescue people. She said radio transmission problems have occurred downtown at the Village Mall and in the South Street and Weeks Road area, but there “never used to be” problems. Morin said radio communication between dispatchers and public safety personnel was down several hours during one night last week.
However, Holmes said he didn’t know of any lengthy gap in radio transmissions. “I’m not aware of that at all,” he said.
Holmes said the only outage was a planned 20-minute one while the radio system was transferred from Gorham to the county. He said there were still emergency capabilities during that period.
According to Holmes, there have been some occasionally weak areas in South Gorham for portable, handheld radio coverage. He heard concerns from some Gorham police officers that historically weak areas might have been weaker after the transfer of the radio system.
But Holmes said adjustments have been made. “Radio technicians have boosted power today,” he said Tuesday.
Holmes said Gorham has talked with the University of Southern Maine about installing a microwave dish on their tower to enhance the transfer of computer data.
Bob Caswell, a spokesman at the University of Southern Maine, said the university granted approval of a request from Cole for the town to install communications dishes at the university’s Gorham campus. Caswell said the gear is being installed on top of Corthell Hall.
“The equipment needs to be installed for regionalization to be operational,” Caswell said.
Morin also believes that former Gorham dispatchers have been working overtime shifts, filling vacancies on the county staff. But she said the county dispatchers aren’t being vocal. “They really can’t talk,” she said.
Holmes said county dispatchers are eligible to work overtime shifts but aren’t forced to. He said the county has a policy about who is allowed to speak to the media.
Following renovation of the Shaw School, Gorham administrative offices will relocate with the existing Municipal Center to be used for Gorham public safety. The building, which was built 30 years ago, hasn’t had a major upgrade and needs renovation for use by the police and fire departments. If dispatching returned to Gorham, Cole said that there would be additional renovation costs.
The Town Council has called a special meeting at 4 p.m. on Thursday, Sept. 1, in Cole’s office. The council will appoint wardens and clerks for the referendum election along with establishing hours for voter registration and casting absentee ballots. “It will cost taxpayers about $5,000, a typical election cost,” Cole said.
Morin said opponents of consolidating dispatch have a Web site, savegorhamdispatch.4mg.com
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