Their Success Story
Planners of the new, multi-jurisdictional Montgomery County Regional Dispatch Center were looking for the Superman of buildings to house the critical, 24/7emergency operation. It would have to withstand storms, earthquakes and hurricanes as well as natural and manmade disasters. It would have to meet seismic requirements.
As it turns out, Mound in its heyday required just such a reliable structure for the site’s mainframe computer, the nerve center of the entire facility. The building was available, and so the match was made.
About $12 million was invested in building improvements and high-tech equipment. The Mound Development Corporation spent $3 million on the construction of a new entrance, the addition of windows, and the reconfiguration of the space, as well as the installation of new electrical and communications lines, flooring, lighting, roadway and parking.
The dispatch center is financially self-sustaining with a combination of funds from the Montgomery County Sheriff’s Office and contracts with police, fire and agencies from other jurisdictions that have signed on for the service.