For the third year in a row, a single town emergency dispatch center is being pushed on the voters at the “discount” price of $1.7 million. That figure omits $700,000.00 applied from this year’s fund balance to reduce the cost from $2.4 Million. This is $700,000.00 Milford taxpayers have already paid and could have been applied to lower property tax bills – or provide solutions to existing communications issues. Voters should understand that as worded, this is article approves both a $1.7M bond and the expenditure of $700K from existing funds.

I oppose passage of this article. The numbers just don’t add up. The proposal excludes anticipated operations and maintenance costs of $1.5M. It assumes an unrealistic operating budget. It cuts dispatcher wages from their current rates. Area coverage maps show virtually no improvement from our current system, and the article fails to clearly state that passage means bonding an addition to the police station. We are still paying the bond that built that police station.

Passage also means abandoning two neighboring communities by going it alone. The rhetoric about Wilton and Mont Vernon becoming customers of a Milford-run center is a myth. Both towns have clearly signaled that they will not be customers of Milford. So, instead of being responsible for only 72% of the costs to run a regional dispatch center, Milford taxpayers will foot 100% of the bill – in addition to the cost of building and outfitting this new center.

We and our neighboring communities have been served well by the Milford Area Communication Center (MACC Base) for over 35 years. Had we been working cooperatively with those other towns, MACC Base would be the showpiece it once was. Instead, it has been deliberately allowed to atrophy and requires an infusion of funds to bring it up to par. Proposed costs for upgrades to MACC have totaled less than the up front cost of Warrant Article 3, and Milford would only be paying 72% of that bill.

I urge Milford voters to send the message that they want a truly regional emergency dispatch center. Vote “no” on Warrant Article 3. Help protect our first responders and remain a good neighbor by supporting improvements to MACC Base.

The above represents my opinion as a Milford resident. I am not speaking on behalf of the Board of Selectmen.