Vermont Enhanced 9‑1‑1 board seeks $5.3 million in budget, requests reinstatement of $300,000 capital reserve

Barbara Neal, executive director of the Enhanced 9‑1‑1 Board, told the House Appropriations Committee on Feb. 21 that the board is requesting about $5.3 million for the coming fiscal year and is asking the legislature to reinstate a $300,000 annual capital replacement line item. Neal said the reinstated line would be held in the Enhanced 9‑1‑1 special fund and carried forward year to year to smooth the cost of system upgrades and replacements that occur on roughly five‑year cycles.

The request represents about a 10.1% increase over the current fiscal year request, Neal said, and far exceeds the 3% baseline the board had expected. She told lawmakers the increase reflects three drivers: the proposed $300,000 capital replacement set‑aside; personnel and salary increases; and about $71,000 in higher annual maintenance costs for the board’s statewide 9‑1‑1 system provider, which will take effect when a contract extension begins in October and runs for 30 months.

Neal gave a brief overview of the…