Mayor emails magistrates, asks them to reject council’s 911 proposal

By JIM BROOKS
Nelson County Gazette / WBRT Radio

Friday, Sept. 2, 2016, 6 p.m. (Added Mayor’s comments, 6:45 p.m.) — The day after the Bardstown City Council voted to move toward a new city-count 911 dispatch agreement, Mayor John Royalty has intervened in an effort to thwart its acceptance by Nelson Fiscal Court.

In an email sent to Nelson Fiscal Court members Friday morning, Royalty asked the magistrates to not accept the proposed 911 agreement the council approved Thursday to send to county government.

In his email, the mayor implied that the majority of the council do not have a good understanding of the issues related to 911 and dispatching emergency services.

“In my opinion, there are some councilmen who do not have first hand experience of dispatch procedures,” Royalty wrote in the email, adding that he and Councilman Bill Buckman do have that experience.

Royalty said the city fire and police departments “have continually expressed their concern about the Nelson County Dispatch service and the safety of our officers and firemen.”

He stated that at Thursday’s special city council meeting, “the city police and fire department officers pleaded with the council not to renew the contract with Nelson County Dispatch.”

The Gazette’s video recording of open session portions of Thursday’s city council meeting did not capture first-responders making such a request. The Gazette did not record the executive session portion of the meeting, the stated purpose of which was to discuss possible litigation against Nelson Fiscal Court regarding the county’s 911 fee placed on county property tax bills.

Royalty did make references to documented complaints that city first-responders have recorded recently against Nelson County Dispatch.

“The relationship between the city police and fire department and Nelson County Dispatch service is irretrievably broken,” the mayor said.

“I am asking that you continue with your current dispatching service and relieve the city from the proposed inter-local agreement contract so that the city may move forward with KSP.”

REASON FOR THE EMAIL. Royalty told the Gazette Friday evening that he decided to send the email after continued discussions with the city police and fire departments.

“They are worried about the liability of their officers being hurt by the incompetency of the dispatch, and they are willing to hold each individual person personally liable and responsible,” he stated via text. “I am just standing up for my department heads and for my employees.”

CITY 911 PROPOSAL. After a contentious discussion of the 911 dispatch issue in its special meeting Thursday, the council voted 4-2 to send Nelson Fiscal Court a final proposal that, if accepted, would continue the city’s participation in Nelson County Dispatch.

City Attorney Tim Butler told the council Thursday that in order to continue to negotiate the 911 agreement, he needed specific direction in three areas, one of which was the city’s financial contribution to help fund dispatch.

The most recent proposal from Nelson Fiscal Court set the city’s contribution at $144,020. Councilwoman Kecia Copeland suggested offering the county $130,000 or 40 percent, whichever was the lesser amount, as the city’s contribution to pay dispatch costs not covered by 911 fees.

The council vote 4-2 to authorize Butler to forward the proposal to Nelson Fiscal Court. Councilmen Bill Buckman and Fred Hagan voted against the measure. As part of its motion, the council also gave the mayor authorization to enter into a dispatch agreement with KSP should the county reject the city’s proposal.

Judge Executive Dean Watts was an observer at the Thursday’s council meeting and said he felt the city council’s proposal would be positively received.

NEXT UP. Nelson Fiscal Court meets 9 a.m. Tuesday in the Fiscal Court meeting room in the Old Courthouse.

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