AUBURN — Androscoggin County Sheriff Eric Samson received the go-ahead Wednesday to explore the possibility of a joint venture between the county and Lewiston-Auburn 911 communication systems.

Utilizing the L-A 911 records-management system would save the county money upfront, he said. Cooperation would also prevent duplicating services and would benefit both agencies by sharing the costs of upgrades.

“It makes sense to have everyone involved in the records-management system,” Samson said.

He said he met recently with L-A 911 Director Phyllis Gamache and her board to explore the feasibility of sharing services and costs. He said there was a willingness by both parties to continue the discussion.

County commissioners expressed support for continuing those talks.

“It makes sense to move forward,” County Administrator Larry Post said.

The Sheriff’s Office, which already provides dispatch service for several of the smaller communities in Androscoggin County, is seeking to bring other towns on board. Some of those towns require a records-management system to catalog their calls and reports.

Androscoggin County does not offer a records-management system. The county is using the L-A 911 system for its records.

If the county wanted to offer the towns “one-stop shopping” and offer a comprehensive dispatch package, including records management, a significant investment would be required, Samson said.

Samson provided an estimate of more than $205,000 for a county records-management system. Projected revenues from the additional dispatch fees from Sabattus and Wales and a grant from Homeland Security would lower the upfront cost to $140,000.

But a partnership with L-A 911 for the record-management portion would allow the county to forgo buying the required hardware and software — a savings of $170,000.

In his talks with L-A 911 officials, Samson said the sentiment was: Why does Androscoggin County need two separate record-management systems?

Samson’s goal is to have his department provide dispatch services to all towns in the county with the exception of Lewiston and Auburn. Samson stressed to the L-A 911 board that he has no desire to take over dispatch services for either city.

They have so much call volume that the county could not handle that added volume without a significant investment, Samson said.

In addition to sharing the costs for upgrades, Samson suggested radio towers is another area where potential savings could come for both agencies.

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