Outsourcing Saline’s police dispatch services to Pittsfield Township as a possible cost-cutting measure is officially off the table because of a clause in the police union contract.

“Upon further review, the collective bargaining agreement makes the contracting out of the police dispatch services to Pittsfield Township or any other provider not feasible,” said City Manager Todd Campbell Monday night.

The city was looking at the possibility of contracting its dispatch services to Pittsfield as a cost savings of about $100,000 in the second year.

“The right to contract or subcontract shall not be used for the purpose or intention of undermining the union, not to discriminate against any of its members, nor shall it result in the reduction of the work force or discriminate against any of its members, nor shall it result in the reduction of the work force or the rank of the present employees,” the contract reads.

Saline Police Chief Paul Bunten told the City Council previously that it costs about $225,000 to maintain the city’s dispatch service.

There are three full-time dispatchers and four part-time dispatchers, and there are two years left on their contract.

Resident Mary Lirones called contracting the dispatch services to Pittsfield “a remarkably dumb idea,” and told the City Council they should listen to residents who have strongly objected to the proposal.

Mary Hess reminded council members that residents who responded to a city-wide survey said they’d be willing to pay more taxes rather than reduce police or fire services.

In a memo to the City Council, Campbell wrote, “One of the primary reasons, in addition to the mandate from Governor Snyder’s office, for considering contracting with Pittsfield Township was to help reduce overall operational costs for the future financial strength of the city as an organization, while continuing to provide a top quality service.”

Mayor Gretchen Driskell said the city has been having discussions since the spring and it “was looking at options and was gathering information. We had no intention to ever affect the level of (police) services.”

Councilman Brian Marl said, “No official decision had been made. We had not gotten an analysis from staff.”

The City Council unanimously agreed to withdraw from further discussion the proposal to consolidate the city's dispatch services with Pittsfield Township.

The dispatch service is located in City Hall along with the police department and Saline dispatchers handle about 800 emergency 911 calls and 15,000 regular calls annually.

The Saline Police Department budget amounts to between 20 to 30 percent of the city’s general fund budget.

Lisa Allmendinger is a regional reporter for AnnArbor.com. She can be reached at lisaallmendinger@annarbor.com. For more Saline stories, visit our Saline page.