Cuyahoga County has granted Parma $972,000 towards its new dispatch center, with the city set to borrow an additional $2.5m for the project.
It will cost Parma, Parma Heights, Brooklyn, and other cities in the area about $1.5m annually to run the facility. The new center will be regional in scope rather than local, so Parma officials are encouraging dispatchers from nearby cities to apply for jobs. Parma has 14 dispatchers at present, but anticipates hiring from 9 to 12 more to staff the facility.
In order to borrow money, Parma is going to sell bonds, which Dennis Kish, the city's auditor, has said could take as long as 20 years to pay off. The length of time would depend on interest rates, and payments of about $150,000 would be made semi-annually. Some council members expressed doubt that the city could afford this expense, but Parma mayor Tim DeGeeter said that he sees the facility as a necessity for the city. He also revealed that the city will continue to ask for state and federal help in funding the project.
The center is expected to be finished by July this year.
Since this matter might affect all the residents, Parma officials could consider working with a brochure printing company to create a mailer for the city, explaining the issues.
