News Talk 94.1/AM 1600 Where The Upper Cumberland Talks
The State Emergency Communications Board meets Friday to decide if Pickett County can move forward with efforts to create it’s own E-911 district.
County Executive Richard Daniel said the original merger of the Overton-Pickett Emergency Communications District was never meant to be permanent.
“The districts merged in 2002 and that was mainly due to the fact that we did not have a secure location to house that facility,” Daniel said. “By law, that is a requirement. It must be secured.”
Daniel said the county’s future jail facility will provide a secure location for dispatchers to work out of.
During Friday’s meeting, Daniel will try to persuade the board that creating it’s own district will better serve Pickett County residents and won’t threaten the financial integrity of the existing Overton-Pickett 911 service.
Overton-Pickett Emergency Communications District Director Chris Masiongale said he doesn’t agree with Daniel’s effort to end the merger.
Before the 2002 merger took place, Masiongale said Pickett County spent between $120,000 and $150,000 a year on dispatcher salaries while Overton County was spending about $350,000.
“When the two counties combined, the money that Pickett County brings in helped offset what Overton County was having to put in on tax dollars,” Masiongale said.
Masiongale said Overton County currently puts in $150,000 on dispatcher salaries, but the 911 center makes up the remainder of that.
Masiongale said there were probably 18 dispatchers between both counties before the merger took place. Since combining, the district now uses 10 dispatchers.
“We are still delivering the same quality service,” Masiongale said. “Both counties are receiving excellent service.”
The state funds 911 through a charge on every landline and cell phone device, currently $1.16 per device.
Roughly 80-percent of that money goes to that local 911 center. The remaining stays with the state. For example, if every Pickett County resident has a phone, the county would receive just over $4,700 per month in state funding or approximately $56,582 annually.
Most city and county governments also supplement the device fees.
Pickett County will also have to take into account the cost for call and dispatching equipment.
Daniel said he still wants to move forward with the effort, despite the challenges that come with operating a 911 district.
“We have a little more than two years to plan to purchase this equipment and we can set aside money for this equipment,” Daniel said. “This can be done and it can be done without a tax increase and the funds that are available to us right now.”
