ROWLEY – With no controversy and limited discussion, the SelectBoard this month approved by voice vote the town’s call center joining the regional center in Middleton Aug. 1.
The proposed move to the North Shore Regional 911 Center in Middleton, which is expected to cut costs, was approved by the state Emergency Services Department last month.
“The amount of work and effort that has gone into his has been huge,” chair Christine Kneeland said.
North Shore 911 currently handles calls from Amesbury, Essex, Middleton, Topsfield, Wenham and Manchester-by-the-Sea. Ipswich considered joining, but decided not to when the police and firefighters opposed the transfer.
The move from a four-dispatcher town service to a larger regional call service is expected to free funds to add other services. The fire department, for example, has wanted to expand its coverage to 24-hours per day.
Rowley began considering the move in April, but ran into stiff opposition from current employees, who are likely to love their jobs, and Robert Adams, a former patrolman and detective.
Opponents congregated on the webpage, Save Rowley 911.
At last month’s SelectBoard meeting, Adams spoke against the proposal, saying, “For decades, the men and women of the Rowley Police Department, and the Rowley Communications Center, have been there to help the people of this town — often on the worst day of their lives.
“They have been the calm voice on the other end of the phone, consoling a loved one, instructing CPR, or coordinating backup for an officer screaming for help. How dare this town consider turning their backs on them. For even considering the notion, I think you have made a terrible mistake.”
SelectBoard member Sheri David, who served as a dispatcher for 29 years, disagreed, saying that a regional call center would be better equipped than a single dispatcher to handle a growing volume of calls from Rowley residents. She abstained from the otherwise unanimous vote.
Without local dispatchers, some residents worried that communication would be disrupted within the department and that Rowley would lose its “personalized feel.”
Proponents of the proposal said that a regional system would be better equipped to deal with large volumes of calls, especially as the town grows.
On Save Rowley 911, an opponent wrote: “Who do you want to report an emergency to on what could be the worst day of your life? Someone you know and trust? Or someone who has never stepped foot in your town? Outsourcing 911 is dangerous.”
