Commissioners designate sheriff's office as primary operator for next-generation 9-1-1

The Morrow County Board of Commissioners on July 8 adopted a resolution naming the Morrow County Sheriff's Office as the county's primary answering point and day-to-day operator for the next-generation 9-1-1 system.

Speaker 2 read a resolution into the record citing Ohio Revised Code section 307.63 and stated the board's intent that the sheriff's office "provide central dispatch and communications as requested by any political subdivision in accordance [with] agreements duly executed by the county and the political subdivision." The resolution says policies and procedures for the communications center shall remain in effect and that the sheriff shall have full authority to act on behalf of the next-generation 9-1-1 board with respect to the communication center.

The board moved, seconded and approved the resolution on roll call; votes recorded affirmative responses from Mister Abraham, Mister Siegfried and Mister Mason.

Sheriff (Speaker 4), who arrived late and addressed the board, said the goal is collaboration and continuity: "If it's not broke, we're not gonna fix it... We're just looking for collaboration and communication," and added that there may be "some bumps in the road" but that the change is for the best. The sheriff thanked commissioners and staff for assistance during a recent event and emphasized interagency cooperation going forward.

The resolution references ORC §307.63 as the statutory basis for designating the sheriff's office as the primary answering point. The board did not place additional operational conditions on the resolution during the meeting.

The sheriff's Office will oversee day-to-day operation as described in the adopted resolution.