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Rock Springs council member flags $3 million statewide 9-1-1 funding shortfall, cites public-records and communications bills
Summary
At a Rock Springs City Council meeting, a councilmember reported that the statewide 9-1-1 funding program has a $3,000,000 deficit and said a proposed bill to change how government officials communicate died in committee; the member said changes to public-records handling were also discussed at a Wyoming Association of Municipalities meeting.
A Rock Springs City Council member reported to the council that the statewide 9-1-1 funding program is facing a $3,000,000 deficit and said the shortfall is especially challenging for small communities.
The councilmember, whose name was not specified in the meeting transcript, said they attended a legislative leadership committee meeting for the Wyoming Association of Municipalities and that participants discussed proposed changes to how public records are handled and considered options to shore up funding for 9-1-1 calls. "As of today, that program has a $3,000,000 statewide deficit, and it's particularly difficult in small communities," the councilmember said.
The member said the funding problem stems in part from how the program was originally financed when most households had landline telephones. "When they established the funding for that program, everybody had a landline," the councilmember said. The member said the change in phone usage — with many residents now on cell phones — has disrupted the original fee model and prompted lawmakers and municipal representatives to seek solutions.
The councilmember also reported that a separate bill "that would have changed things drastically for how government officials can talk to each other" failed to advance in committee. "Happily, that bill died in committee today," the member said. The transcript does not identify the bill by number or provide further legislative text.
The councilmember said they had testified to the joint corporations committee and planned to share information from the Wyoming Taxpayers Association conference with the community. The report also included nonpolicy items: the member described attending a ribbon-cutting and touring a bank building, participating in a radio interview to promote the Rock Springs Minors junior hockey team, and attending the Cowboys Against Cancer fundraiser.
The transcript does not specify next steps, sponsorships, bill numbers, or a timetable for resolving the 9-1-1 funding shortfall. The councilmember said lawmakers and municipal representatives were "looking at addressing" the deficit but did not provide specific proposals in the meeting.
