Waterford postpones vote on regionalizing dispatch center

Waterford — The Representative Town Meeting tonight put off a vote on a proposal that would merge the dispatch centers of East Lyme and Waterford.

A scheduled meeting of the RTM’s Legislation and Administration Standing Committee was postponed because of lack of a quorum. The committee has to recommend the proposal before the RTM can cast a vote.

The committee will consider the proposal at a Feb. 21 meeting.

The proposed plan calls for the town’s nine full-time dispatchers to remain in place at the town’s public safety complex on Boston Post Road. Four additional full-time positions would be created. East Lyme’s four dispatchers would have to reapply for their jobs, although First Selectman Daniel Steward said last week they would have the opportunity to test for the new openings ahead of others.

The merger would make both towns eligible for $250,000 state grants from the Office of Statewide Emergency Telecommunications. The state would annually contribute a second grant of $104,000 for the operation of the merged dispatch center.

The union that represents East Lyme’s dispatchers said it has the right to negotiate the merger. It will also consider filing a court injunction to stop the merger if both the RTM and East Lyme Board of Selectmen pass it, according to Wayne Meyers, the union’s chief negotiator.