During the regular Nodaway County Commission meeting, October 10, Maryville city leaders arrived to discuss three proposals for the operations of a combined 911 emergency dispatch service.

City Councilmen Matt Johnson and Tye Parsons, Public Safety Director Keith Woods and Maryville City Manager Greg McDanel brought three proposals to the commissioner that ranged from all-emergency dispatch to either the county or city, a shared services agreement to a county-driven plan in which a separate elected board would operate the dispatching services. After discussing the different aspects of each proposal, McDanel said his and the city’s recommendation was the shared services agreement. This agreement, which was noted by the city’s documentation as the most flexible, could have an appointed or elected advisory board. The revenues would come from the county-wide monthly fees and there would be a memorandum of understanding (MOU) between the city and county to continue to negotiations for the consolidation efforts including equipment purchases.

Discussions furthered the details of this proposal: the dispatch staff would be city employees, the final agreement would allow for future expansion to other counties’ services such as Gentry and Worth, and would speak to equipment at the jail for redundacy and the MULES work.

The commissioners directed McDanel to pen the MOU using the Livingston County-City of Chillicothe one as a guide.

Future meetings will be scheduled soon.