Excitement is abounding among staff and leadership of the Lyon County Emergency Communications Center with the prospect of a new home for communication operations still in the early development stages.
During an appearance on KVOE’s Morning Show recently, LCECC Director Roxanne Van Gundy discussed the new 911 dispatch and training center that is set to be constructed on a 19-acre tract of land at West South Avenue, which was first publicly discussed back in mid-April. While the project is far from the construction phase, Van Gundy stated to KVOE News that there is a lot of excitement surrounding the project for various reasons, namely space.
As you may know, dispatch and 911 call handling services are centered within the Emporia Police Department headquarters in the bottom of White Auditorium. Van Gundy has noted previously that her staff are very cramped in the space, which limits many activities, including training for 911 operators.
The new facility, estimated to cost in excess of $5 million, when combined with the new law enforcement firing range, has been the subject of some debate in recent months; however, Van Gundy says that if the entire community were able to see their current working conditions and she believes it is a project that everyone could get behind.
Van Gundy says she believes it is important for dispatchers to have their own dedicated space, as it provides a secondary location for emergency operations should something impact White Auditorium or the EPD headquarters.
Van Gundy has noted in recent weeks that the center has had several departures and KVOE News asked during our recent interview with her if she believes the new facility could be a good recruitment tool for future staff. She says she does, namely because it shows a large amount of investment in the department, the profession and the individuals.
County commissioners in October approved contracts for dirt-prep, ground and utility work for the center; however, a timeline for the center’s physical construction is currently pending.
