Shared Services in Dickinson County

Special Study - 2009-2011

Taxpayers in Dickinson County should take heart at the amount of government sharing of services that already exists in the county. All of the police, fire, rescue, ambulances, and Lake Patrol radio dispatching are performed by a single E911 Communications Center operated by the county sheriff. The Cities of Arnolds Park and Okoboji fire-rescue departments were combined several years ago into a single department. The City of Arnolds Park and Okoboji also share a street sweeper and a bucket truck.

The City of Milford provides police protection to the City of West Okoboji, while the City of Spirit Lake provides police and fire protection to the City of Orleans. The Dickinson County Sheriff provides police protection to the City of Wahpeton, Superior, and Terril. The City of Milford provides fire and rescue services to the City of West Okoboji and Wahpeton as well as a large rural area.

This initial sharing of government services has demonstrated that sharing will work and we are looking forward to more sharing arrangements in the future that will improve services and lower costs.