ALFRED — York County government is facing a $99,000 increase July 1 in the amount it pays to Sanford for dispatch services, as part of a re-allocation of costs at the regional communications center first introduced late last year.

But while County Manager Greg Zinser said he had read of the reorganization, which re-allocates costs to users, the county government has been operating under the impression that its agreement with Sanford doesn’t expire until 2015.

No one, however, can find a signed contract.

Zinser told county commissioners last week that correspondence and billings from Sanford are in line with the five-year contract.

“We need to gather more information, said Zinser.

York County government paid about $523,000 to Sanford for dispatching services this year, and has budgeted about $515,000 for the fiscal year that begins July 1”“ though the budget isn’t final; the York County Budget Committee is reviewing the $18.6 million county spending proposal at their weekly meetings, which take place at 6:30 p.m. Wednesdays at York County Court House in Alfred.

The conundrum may see the county explore other options for dispatching services for the York County Sheriff’s Office and emergency management agency. Zinser, in an update to commissioners last week, cautioned, however, that if the county decides to seek services elsewhere, there could be costs associated with a transition.

Sanford’s dispatch center grew from an entity that served only its own police, fire and rescue departments to one that serves several communities in York County. It evolved as the state reduced the number of E911 answering points statewide. The county government had once maintained its own dispatch center, but closed it in the mid-2000s.

Sanford Regional Communications began exploring establishment of an advisory group and worked out a new pricing system late last year. Sanford has been paying 40 percent of the $2.1 million it costs to operate the system, but had 28 percent of the served population, City Manager Steve Buck said in a December meeting with dispatch partners.

A few months later, some communities began to look elsewhere for dispatch service.

Old Orchard Beach, citing long-term cost savings and a more natural affinity, is poised to switch from Sanford RCC to Scarborough sometime next year, though the move isn’t technically final.

As well, Waterboro Fire and Rescue has signaled they’ll switch to Biddeford, and Alfred residents tonight will vote at a special Town Meeting whether to allocate $14,500 in start-up costs to make the switch from Sanford to Biddeford.

Sanford also provides services to North Berwick, several small towns, and Kennebunk, which Buck last week described as one of the center’s strongest partners.

As to the county conundrum, both Buck and Zinser acknowledge there are draft contracts. Buck said the one he found on file, negotiated by former Town Manager Mark Green, has different terms than are currently in place.

As well, Buck said the information about the change in cost allocation was first broached last fall, and that information was sent to the county “quite a while ago.”

Zinser said the county has been examining its documentation and said if the county is to pay more, “I won’t know where it will come from.”

County Commissioner Richard Dutremble said the contract was not signed because there were some portions of the document that contradicted each other.

“If push comes to shove, we’ll look at other places,” said Dutremble.

Zinser said if that were to happen, a transition period would be required.

“We have to look at costs,” he said.

Commissioners will discuss the situation further at their June 4 meeting.

— Senior Staff Writer Tammy Wells can be contacted at 324-4444 (local call in Sanford) or 282-1535, ext. 327 or [email protected].