Routt County staff brief commissioners on plan to request higher E‑911 surcharge, propose new dispatch fee model

Routt County officials said April 28 they intend to seek a nearly twofold increase in the statewide E‑911 surcharge and to pursue a new local dispatch fee intended to spread the cost of 24/7 dispatch more equitably among cities, fire districts and other users.

County staff presented draft numbers showing the county’s E‑911 budget at about $768,000 under the current surcharge and described a proposal to raise the per‑line surcharge from $2.12 to $4.24 to push total E‑911 revenue toward roughly $1.5 million. "The fee budget is $768,000. The down fee is $2.12 per phone line," the county presenter said. He warned the change would shift where property‑tax‑supported dollars currently pay for dispatch and communications but would not raise the county’s legal mill levy under TABOR rules.

County manager Jay and staff emphasized the proposal remains in a discussion phase. The board asked staff to bring a condensed presentation to a joint meeting with municipal councils next week. Commissioners said they want municipalities to understand both the E‑911 surcharge process at the Colorado Public Utilities Commission and a separate, locally set dispatch fee that would be billed to service users.

Why it matters: Routt County’s consolidated communications center handles emergency calls and dispatch for multiple jurisdictions. Staff said dispatch and communications costs have fallen unevenly on the county’s general fund and on property tax allocations, and the proposed changes would make funding more proportional to usage while preserving 24/7 coverage.

Staff described the procedural timeline they were given by the Colorado Public Utilities Commission: file an application by late fall (staff referenced an October filing window), with a potential decision and implementation in early 2026. The presentation included examples of tax impacts under the current mill levy: for a residential home with a $500,000 market value, staff estimated the current property‑tax portion tied to communications would be roughly $12.70 annually; a comparable business property example showed an annual impact of about $52.87. "If our mill levy overall stays the same, that's not really that relevant — it's just a matter of shifting where that property tax could potentially end up," a staff member told commissioners.

Commissioners asked for materials they can give municipal councils before next week’s joint meeting. Staff said they will prepare a short slide deck that explains (1) how the E‑911 surcharge works and the PUC process; (2) what the proposed increase would mean in dollars for typical residential, business and district users; and (3) options and phasing for a new dispatch fee to be applied to user agencies. Staff also said they would continue to refine indirect‑cost allocations so municipalities can see both direct dispatch costs and ongoing operational support items that could be phased in.

No formal action: The board did not take a formal vote April 28. Commissioners signaled general support for advancing outreach to municipal partners and for continuing to refine the model before a later decision on a dispatch fee or a PUC application.

What’s next: County staff will present a brief slide package to municipal councils at next week’s joint meetings and will provide more detailed line‑item figures to municipal staff and fire districts so those entities can evaluate budget impacts. Staff said the PUC recommended an October filing date for a fee increase and that any approved change would likely be imposed in February 2026 if the commission approves the application.