Cass County E-911 Director Rob Koppert told the Public Safety Commission during their meeting Monday evening, recent discussion and media coverage of the County’s decision to pursue the privatization of 911 dispatch services, has damaged his credibility with his peers. Koppert said he’s had several 911 Supervisors from Nebraska who are his counterparts, ask him “What are doing wrong over there, what have you mismanaged?” He says a lot of people have questioned his ability to run a 911 Center. Koppert said his professional reputation “Is on the line because of this,” and he’s not really very happy.

Commissioner Steve Livengood went on record as saying he does not believe the County’s exploration of 911 Center privatization is in anyway a reflection of Koppert’s job performance. Commission Chair Shawn Shouse said reason the issue came up, was because the Commission has failed to find a suitable solution to the space needs, and Supervisor Mark Wedemeyer offered the broader option of privatization.

Livengood said the option seemed logical, and Commissioner Gaylord Schelling reiterated it had nothing to do with Koppert’s job performance. But Cass County Auditor Dale Sunderman said a letter Wedemeyer received from officials with Cranston, New Jersey-based iXP indicated the company would perform more of an administrative than operational function. He said it seemed strange to him the letter referred to “Managed Services,” which Sunderman says sounds like the County provides the facilities and iXP will fill the Administrative need, which the Commission says is not what they are looking for, and still doesn’t solve the space problem.

A conference call meeting of various law enforcement, local government officials and others will take place sometime in the near future. The call will include officials with iXP, and likely will answer the question once and for all, whether the County should continue to pursue privatization of 911 dispatch services.