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911 report shows high call volumes and healthy finances; commissioners approve surcharge continuation and apply for federal EOC funds
Summary
Van Buren County's 911 director reported on staffing, rising call volumes and a nearly $3 million fund balance at the board's March 11 meeting; commissioners approved continuation of the local $3-per-device 911 surcharge and authorized a congressionally directed spending application to seek $3 million for a modern 911/EOC facility.
Tim McGee, the county's 911 director, delivered the 911 annual report at the March 11 meeting and outlined staffing, call-volume and financial details for the county's emergency-dispatch operation.
McGee said the dispatch center had improved staffing with only one open position in background processing and credited the sheriff's detective bureau for thorough background checks. He noted the center had recruited younger personnel and described training and recognition programs; dispatchers delivered four babies in 2024 and staff performed life-saving response coordination in at least one house fire. McGee also reported rising call volumes for fire (nearly 50% increase over five years) and EMS (about 10% increase), and he described new triage/automation work underway with RapidSOS to help triage alarm calls.
Financially, McGee said 911 is funded by a statutorily authorized local surcharge (the county is at the maximum local surcharge allowed by statute, $3 per device per month) and that the fund balance stood at just under $3 million. The board adopted the annual resolution to continue collection of the local 911 surcharge for the July 1, 2025'June 30, 2026 collection period.
Separately, the board approved a request to apply for congressionally directed spending (CDS) through Senator Peters'office to seek federal support for a modern emergency operations center and 911 EOC improvements. Staff proposed seeking $3 million toward a larger project estimated previously (in a 2020 study updated for inflation) at roughly $10 million. The item was described as an expedited application with many local emergency-response partners already providing letters of support; staff said awards would not be known until later in 2025 and that county-owned facilities were being considered for siting.
Both the surcharge resolution and the CDS application authorization were approved by the board.
