County to decide whether to keep dispatch center

SIOUX FALLS, S.D. (AP) - Voters in Union County will soon decide whether to keep a local dispatch center that handles 911 calls.

The Argus Leader (https://argusne.ws/1neQJhJ ) reports that the opt-out measure on the June 3 ballot has led to a debate about the importance of local control in rural southeast South Dakota.

County commissioners say the center’s cost is too high to maintain long-term. Taxpayers put in more than $390,000 in 2013 for the center’s operations.

But Sheriff Dan Limoges says the dispatch hub is the “brain center” of the community and its loss could leave 911 callers waiting longer for help.

Neighboring dispatchers would answer Union County emergency calls if the center shuts down.

Should the measure pass, $16.50 a year would be added to the property taxes of a $100,000 home.

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Information from: Argus Leader, https://www.argusleader.com