By Lucky Kidd
LARNED, Kan. — The Larned City Council Tuesday agreed to set up a meeting with the Pawnee County Commission to discuss dispatch issues. The city of Larned operates the 911 system in Pawnee County under an agreement where the city covers 60 percent of dispatch cost and the county 40 percent.
Last month Police Chief Lance Duft and Dispatch Supervisor Vanessa Feldman discussed with the County Commission a plan to add a 6th position in the department. County Commissioners, voicing concern about increasing costs for 911, said at that time they would only budget $129,310.80 for dispatch services in 2025, based on three percent annual increase from what was paid in 2017.
The County Commission has since agreed to pay $150,000, about a $24,000 cut from 2023. Commissioner Mike Burdett noted Hodgeman County contracted out dispatch services to Ford County and is paying $53,000 a year. Edwards County also contracts out with Ford County.
At Tuesday’s meeting City Manager Brad Elits said the call volume is actually higher from Pawnee County than from Larned.
Elits also provided a chart covering how 911 is paid for in comparably sized counties. Ellsworth and Sherman counties dispatch expense is fully covered by the County, while in Russell County the city of Russell pays 40 percent of the expense, the county 60 percent. Thomas county splits 50/50, while in Rice County costs are divided between the county and the cities of Lyons and Sterling.
