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CITY OF <br />FALCON HEIGHTS <br />email: mail @ci.falcon - heights.mn.us <br />website: www.ci.falcon - heights.mn.us <br />May 6, 2005 <br />Joel Hanson <br />City of Little Canada <br />515 E. Little Canada Rd. <br />Little Canada, MN 55117 <br />Dear Joel: <br />2077 W. Larpenteur Avent <br />Falcon Heights, MN 55113 -5594 <br />Phone - (651) 792 -7600 <br />Fax - (651) 792 -7610 <br />On Tuesday, April 26, the Ramsey County Board of Commissioners adopted a resolution that authorizes the shift of costs <br />for 911 dispatching to the County property tax levy, under a consolidated approach to dispatching services. Voting in <br />favor of the resolution were Commissioners Bennett, Carter, McDonough, Ortega, and Reinhardt. Voting against the <br />resolution were Commissioners Rettman and Wiessner. The resolution directs each community to, in turn, adopt a <br />resolution "opting in" to the consolidated services, and designate someone to negotiate on behalf of their city. <br />The formula adopted allocates 100% of the dispatching costs to the countywide property tax base, despite the fact that <br />nearly 70% of all call volume in the county comes from the City of Saint Paul. For Falcon Heights, this change will mean <br />an increase of more than 350% in dispatch costs for our taxpayers. <br />The City of Falcon I- Ieights is on record in support of consolidated dispatch; however, we feel strongly that the cost <br />allocation formula, and shift of dispatching costs to the suburban communities under that formula, is inequitable. <br />Therefore, we are requesting that each city examine the data we are including with this letter, along with a draft <br />resolution, and consider adopting a similar resolution as requested by the County. <br />While we concede that the suburban communities will ultimately end up paying a higher percentage of the overall <br />dispatch costs, the determination of those costs should be more equitable, and partially based on actual usage of 911 <br />dispatch services, not just a community's property tax base. <br />Please feet free to contact us if you have any questions. <br />Sincerely, <br />Sue Gehrz <br />Mayor <br />651/641 -1229 <br />sgehrz@comcast.net <br />net <br />`JN f��ti <br />C: Ramsey County Board of Commissioners <br />David Twa, County Manager <br />i/1/Z, t j✓' / //Z <br />%/" j4 -,— <br />Heather Worthington <br />City Administrator <br />651/792 -7611 <br />hworthington(d..ci. falcon- heiahts.mn.us <br />RECEIVED <br />MAY 0:9 MI5 <br />CITY OF LITTLE CANADA <br />lE OF THE MINNESOTA STATE FAIR AND THE U CF M INSTITUTE OF AGRICULTURE <br />-6- <br />PRIM'ED ON RECYCLED PAPER <br />