Above: I’m updating readers on news related to the SPD, future RECC, and SPD. (images from dept communications and RECC website)
The Community Advocate reports that Southborough is one of four local towns whose police officers will receive special training this spring to prepare ” to respond to critical incidents like shootings, school violence, and other high-threat situations”.
I’m sharing news on that along with an update on plans to regionalize Southborough’s dispatch department. Plus, for readers who may have missed the topic (buried in another story), I’ll update on a potential study of the regionalizing the fire department.
Police Training
According to the CA, the officers will receive four weeks of training, plus additional support, from “led byTier 1 Special Operations veterans”:
The courses – which are not classroom-based – focus on tactical response, threat identification, decision-making under pressure, and de-escalation.
The $120,000 cost was covered through fundraising by the Westborough Police Foundation and local private businesses. You can read more about the training program here.
The training is being made available to officers from Westborough, Grafton, Southborough and Northborough.
Obviously, Southborough’s connection to Northborough is important due to our regional school system. It’s the other towns that jumped out at me, leading me to the next topic. . .
MetroWest RECC Update
I’m guessing that it’s not completely coincidental that two of the towns Westborough invited to be part of the training efforts are its partners in the MetroWest RECC (Regional Emergency Communications Center).
The RECC project will replace each town’s dispatch departments with a regionalized 911 center.
The Town Administrator gave an update on that project’s next stage at Tuesday night’s Select Board meeting. Construction is slated to begin in January. Completion is expected in October 2027.
(Reminder, the project is to renovate a historic building in Westborough. It won’t be at the originally targeted “superfund” site that raised public objections.)
TA Mark Purple introduced the topic with a “heads up” that the Select Board will likely soon be asked to approve borrowing to cover the construction costs.
Purple clarified that the state is still expected to cover the construction costs, plus the debt interest. But the RECC finance committee believes that issuing a bond up front will work better than waiting for each “tranche” of the state’s 911 grants. He told the Select Board that it was the same way that Foxborough handled financing when they developed their center.
Under the regional agreement, issuing the bond would need to be approved by the RECC board, then by each town’s select board. (I assume that process is covered by Town Meeting’s past vote authorizing the Select Board to enter a RECC agreement on behalf of the Town.)
Select Board member Kathy Cook questioned if the timeline had shifted. She had believed it was meant to open in January. Purple said no, and indicated that the October date had been the target for a long time. member Al Hamilton noted, “this is something you don’t turn on until you know it works.”
Cook was also surprised that local borrowing was needed. She assumed that the prior state grant combined with a grant expected to come through this spring would be enough.
Purple highlighted that the funds aren’t just about constructing the building. It also covers the communications “connectivity” infrastructure. He indicated that while Southborough’s connectivity is in good shape, Grafton has some issues.
The dispatch centers isn’t the only way that Southborough and Westborough are looking into pooling public safety resources. . .
Potential Study on Regionalizing Fire Departments
Last month, I covered a discussion between the Select Board and state legislators who represent our town. In it, I highlighted a discussion about the Fire Department. The board was seeking support for studying the potential to regionalize fire departments.
Fire Chief Andrew Puntini spoke in favor of studying the concept. And he described his staff was supportive.
Puntini said that he was in talks with Westborough’s Fire Chief about looking into a study. Westborough’s chief had already taken the step of presenting a concept to his Select Board.
In the Southborough Select Board’s discussion on March 3rd, the focus was on saving costs by reducing the amount of expensive equipment needed, not headcount. You can read more details here.
The board was clearly supportive but didn’t take any votes on the topic. Instead, they discussed bringing Puntini back to present in more detail at their March 17th meeting.
That never happened. A subsequent article by MetroWest Daily News stated:
The two communities have each committed to contributing $50,000 toward a feasibility study. They will then hire a firm to conduct it.
I reached out to Purple to find out if I missed something. I asked if the study funds had been included in the SFD’s FY27 operating budget. The answer was no.
Purple clarified:
While Southborough has committed to partnering with Westborough on a regional fire services study, there was no funding article at the recent Town Meeting. Southborough is exploring State, grant and other funding sources for our share of the cost of the study. The Board intends to have Chief Puntini come back before the Board for a more detailed conversation in the coming months.
Why the heck are we continuing to pursue this avenue when I recall at the town meeting it was voted no? That facility is ancient and will require huge renovations! Meanwhile we have a state of the art facility here in town that has ample space to handle a regional facility including Westborough! Also has anyone researched if present dispatchers will be effected with seniority and benefits as stated before?
It was voted yes after it was voted no: https://www.mysouthborough.com/2024/10/02/town-meeting-gives-thumbs-up-for-joining-a-metrowest-recc/
Yes it was voted yes after they realized the site they were looking at is highly contaminated with creosote . Then they chose an old building being used for storage which will require huge renovations to meet the required needs. I have friends who are employed as dispatchers and fire fighters who have stated there is plenty of room to have the dispatch there expanded to handle a regional aspect. Also what about the fact that if there is a new regional dispatch present employees will need to reapply and lose all benefits and seniority starting over again. Has this been addressed?? This whole Regional Dispatch idea is proposed by the state and once you transition there is no return. Given the total fiasco of state funding whose to say we won’t be handling the bulk of the cost for the project. The old theory applies 100% here! IF IT A’INT BROKE DON’T FIX IT!
Mike
First of all the existing Southborough facility does not have sufficient space to handle the needs of the RECC which currently includes Westborough and Grafton as well Southborough. It certainly does not have sufficient space to house the expected expansion.
The state is picking up the tab for the facility renovation and will subsidize operating costs for 5 years. That is worth millions to the town.
Finally, we already have a regional fire system in all but name and financial benefit. Where is the harm in exploring a more formal version of what really exists today? I applaud the 2 Chiefs for being willing to consider this sort of change. Fire services are very very expensive and our town lacks the sort of scale to achieve economic scale.
The reality is that the lines that were drawn on the map in 1727 were drawn based on how far you had to walk to get to church. The world has changed since then and we should not be held captive to those lines when it may be possible to achieve lower costs and better services. Rest assured that the consolidation of the 2 departments would have to come before town meeting for a full debate.
You have occasionally complained about our tax burden and you have good reason to do so. The reality is that roughly 80% of our town budget goes to salaries and benefits. One of the few ways to bring our budgets under more control other than staff reductions is to think outside the box for ways to become more efficient.
You telling me that ancient building in Westborough is better choice than the new one we just built few years back? As far as the state picking up the costs think again! They are so messed up with the state finances who knows if any grants or funding will be available and don’t tell me its already there. Westborough has a totally undersized fire station and has made no effort to do what we did. This is another state offered trap to get control of towns. Also what about the present dispatchers who will need to start from day one or maybe even not get hired. And don’t give the answer you gave me before that you had to do the same when you were in the business world. I had to do the same! This is not the same!!! These folks have devoted their life to ensuring our safety . This a huge mistake and never should have been pursued. What’s next regionalizing the police and fire operation ? As I recall that’s on the table as well!