Staff Writer

 Saco city councilors discussed consolidating fire dispatch services and rejected an offer for the former fire station Monday night.

Councilors unanimously rejected the $210,000 offer on the former fire station at 14 Thornton Ave. after an executive session discussion. The station and abutting office building were listed for sale after the fire department moved to its new building on North Street.

City Administrator Richard Michaud said La Boca Corp. of 198 Saco Ave. in Old Orchard Beach offered $210,000 for both buildings. He said it is the first offer the city has received, though the property has been shown to other prospective buyers. Saco Spirit expressed interest in the building before the council voted to list the building for sale.

In a workshop following the regular meeting, councilors heard from Fire Chief John Duross and Police Chief Brad Paul about the potential of consolidating fire dispatch services with Biddeford.

The Biddeford and Saco city councils met April 21 and asked the fire and police chiefs to look into whether it is feasible to merge dispatch services for both cities.

Duross said the four chiefs have met four times since April to discuss the cost and feasibility of consolidation. He said they decided to consider fire and police dispatch services separately because they face different issues.

“There’s a possibility we could pursue moving fire dispatch and leave Saco police dispatch where it is,” Duross said.

If the council wants to move forward with consolidation, Duross said he will need to look at safety and efficiency issues. He said he does not anticipate any negative aspects of moving fire and emergency medical services dispatch to Biddeford. He said the two departments have a good working relationship and a mutual aid agreement has been in place for years.

“In fact, we believe that being dispatched from the same location using the same dispatching data base as the Biddeford Fire Department would make our responders safer and our operations more efficient,” Duross said.

 Paul said he would like the city to do a workload analysis before any decisions are made about consolidation. He said it was apparent from the beginning of meetings that fire and police dispatch faced different issues. He said 20 percent of dispatch calls during the past eight years were for fire services.

Paul said it is too soon to say whether the city would save money by consolidating fire dispatch. Mayor Ron Michaud said the city is not considering consolidating police dispatch.

Michaud said he thinks it is important to explore consolidation even if it doesn’t save the city money.

“I think we owe it to the community to be open to exploring different concepts,” he said. “Even if there are no cost savings, it could improve services.”

Councilor Leslie Smith Jr. expressed concern about handing dispatch services to a city where dispatchers may be less familiar with Saco’s streets. He said it is “not an improvement to have people outside the city who don’t know the roads” dispatching calls.

“I will tell you, I have been adamant against giving up our dispatch. These are necessary services we provide our citizens,” he said. “Somebody is going to have to show me lots of dollars and no degradation of service and a smiley face at the police station window.”

Councilor Arthur Tardif said he also thinks looking at consolidation is “a waste of time” because the council previously rejected a plan to combine services.

“If you’re going to another town they don’t know what’s going on in Saco,” he said.

Councilor Eric Cote said he would like to make sure there are no layoffs if the council ultimately supports consolidating services. Councilor Marston Lovell said he believes any consolidation should be a partnership between the two cities, not an arrangement where Saco is a “customer.”

In other business, councilors rejected a motion by Councilor Margaret Mills to appeal a Public Utilities Commission decision regarding a proposed Central Maine Power Co. power line upgrade. City ordinance requires lines be buried near homes and schools, but the PUC ruled the cost was too high to pass on to ratepayers.

Councilors Phil Blood, Tardif, Cote and Lovell voted against the appeal.

Staff Writer Gillian Graham can be reached at 282-4337, ext. 213.