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Ripon Commonwealth Press will count down the top-10 stories in Ripon from 2020 over nine days, with it culminating with the top story Thursday, Dec. 31.
Here is the No. 6 story from 2020, along with links to stories that ran in the past year.
6. Ripon mulls dispatching communication center to Fond du Lac County
Should the city of Ripon move its dispatch center to Fond du Lac County?
That has been a hot-button topic for the Ripon Common Council since August, when Police Chief Bill Wallner brought forth the issue. While he and Ripon Area Fire District Chief Tim Saul noted they donât think the move would jeopardize the safety of Ripon residents. Ripon Guardian Ambulance Service Chief John Teachout disagreed as he believes it would cause his department to lose its scheduling flexibility among other drawbacks.
This photo of one of Fond du Lac Countyâs multiple dispatch stations appears in the Communications and Emergency Management departmentâs 2018 annual report. submitted photo
After tabling the decision about whether to move Riponâs dispatch center to Fond du Lac County at its last meeting after an at times heated discussion, the Ripon Common Council took it off the table last week Tuesday.
The topic will be discussed Tuesday, Jan. 12. It was brought to the council in August and was re-visited Nov. 10. It was then that Police Chief Bill Wallner asked the council if it could make a decision on the matter at the Nov. 23 meeting so that the dispatchers who have been in limbo that past several months could have some peace of mind and so that Fond du Lac County can know whether Ripon plans on joining.
Members of the Ripon Police Department work to wrap gifts for families in need for the 24th annual Shop with Emergency Personnel event. submitted photo
Members of the Ripon Police Department, Ripon Area Fire District and Ripon Guardian Ambulance Service have been especially busy the last few weeks.
On top of their normal responsibilities of responding to crises on a daily basis, theyâve been busy buying and wrapping presents for area families for the âShop with Emergency Personnelâ event.
Local emergency service providers worked with the Ripon Area School District to identify families in need this holiday season. They received wish lists from each family and emergency personnel purchased the items from that list.