On June 12, the citizens of Franklin County will be asked to vote on a referendum to allow the county to issue a $598,300 bond to finance the construction of a building to house a dispatch center and other county services. The building would be erected on property now owned by the county and adjacent to the county jail.

The county’s dispatch service now is housed at the sheriff’s office. Because of the crowded situation, the dispatchers almost have to sit in each others’ laps. Dispatch also has expensive electronic equipment that demands proper storage to work properly.

In recent years, I have tried to convince others that dispatch is an issue that must have priority. I’m a firm believer in local control and see no other issue to be more essential to local control than the Franklin County Dispatch Service.

We are threatened, from time to time, of losing our Public Service Answering Point, which could be devastating to emergency service in this county. Not only would the safety of our citizens in emergency situations (dropped calls etc.) be threatened, but we also would bear a financial cost to have another entity provide this service to us. We still will have to have dispatchers in the county.

As a county commissioner, I have always stressed the importance of deciding if something associated with spending is a want or a need. I believe a secure place for our dispatch service is a need.

I hope other Franklin County residents agree and vote yes on the bond issue.

Fred W. Hardy, commissioner

Franklin County, District 2

New Sharon

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