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County departments report potential surcharge revenue, Caliber go‑live and 911 staffing updates
Summary
Department reports at the March 10 meeting covered a proposed state surcharge increase that could bring approximately $647,000 to Sumner County if passed, a projected mid‑August go‑live date for the Caliber system, and ongoing telecommunicator staffing vacancies and training plans.
Sumner County staff reported updates on potential surcharge revenue, the county—s Caliber emergency‑records rollout and emergency communications staffing during the March 10 meeting.
A departmental presentation noted a state measure to raise the transportation/comms base surcharge from $1.50 to $1.86 per unit (the item was described in the meeting as advancing to the Senate Finance, Ways and Means Committee). Staff said the suggested rate increase would generate roughly $38,000,000 statewide, about $28,000,000 for new local districts statewide and an estimated $647,000 in additional revenue to Sumner County if the proposal passes and the distribution follows the pattern described in the report. Staff cautioned the measure still needed legislative approval and that any county benefit would not begin until January of the following year; the county would see a half‑year effect in the first implementation year.
On technology, staff provided a Caliber system update. County presenters said the Caliber implementation is progressing ahead of the previously scheduled November go‑live and that a mid‑August launch is now anticipated. Training for system users and "train‑the‑trainer" sessions are scheduled to begin in May, with CAD and records training for users in June and July to keep training close to the go‑live date. Staff said they are coordinating maintenance contract proration with the vendor Central Square to ensure a smooth transition and maintain necessary services during the overlap period.
The emergency communications center (ECC) reported six current vacancies among telecommunicators, three new hires who started within the last week and additional hires expected later in the month. The ECC also noted county commissioners approved a resolution last month recognizing telecommunicators as first responders at the local level; staff said a state bill and separate federal effort (referred to in the meeting as the 9‑1‑1 SABES Act) are underway to reclassify telecommunicators at higher jurisdictional levels. Call volume for the most recent months was reported at just over 23,000 incoming and outgoing calls, with cost‑per‑service figures in the $17,000–$19,000 range for the months cited.
Staff asked interested board members to confirm attendance for a conference in Long Beach, California (noted for June 22–26) so lodging and registration can be arranged. No formal votes were required on these departmental reports; board members asked questions and staff described next steps for training, vendor coordination and hiring.
Ending Staff said they will return with implementation details and any required procurement or contracting items related to Caliber and ECC staffing as those items move from report to action.
