The Morro Bay City Council voted unanimously during a special meeting Monday to contract out the city’s police and fire dispatch services to the San Luis Obispo County Sheriff’s Office and Cal Fire respectively.
The move, which also pertains to the Morro Bay Harbor Patrol, is expected to save the city nearly $43,000 in the first year of the new arrangement and more down the line, according to a staff report prepared by Interim City Manager Ed Kreins. Employee turnover and low staffing levels had caused the city to rack up recruitment, training and overtime costs on dispatch services.
Following a recommendation from the San Luis Obispo County Grand Jury, the city of Arroyo Grande opted earlier this year to contract out their dispatch services to the sheriff’s office. The city of Grover Beach received the same recommendation from the grand jury but opted not to follow suit.
