The dream of merging Franklin County’s emergency dispatch operations into Benton County’s Southeast Communications Center (SECOMM) is nearing reality after more than 10 years of discussions.
Franklin County and the city of Pasco would each make a one-time $500,000 capital contribution to join SECOMM as full voting partners, under a plan presented to the Benton County Emergency Services board recently by Steve Reinke, a Thorp-based expert in 911 dispatch operations.
The proposal is a prelude to a formal request from the Franklin side to join SECOMM. There is no schedule yet for that to happen, though both sides say discussions will continue. 911 consolidation is a standing agenda item for the monthly emergency services board meeting.
Pasco and Franklin County jointly hired Reinke in March to develop a “reasonable, fair and equitable” consolidation plan after years of discussions failed to lead to an agreement.
Reinke’s buy-in plan would, in effect, give Franklin County and Pasco ownership stakes in the existing SECOMM system and a vote in future decisions.