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9-1-1 director warns county to watch HB5351 as local dispatch funding tightens
Summary
Paul Lewis, the county’s 9-1-1 director, reported 474 calls in February, warned commissioners that a pending bill (referred to as HB5351/HB5451) would allow counties to levy for 9-1-1 and urged review as the center faces aging equipment and inconsistent vendor support from GST.
Paul Lewis, Hardy County Office of Emergency Management’s 9-1-1 director, told the commission the 9-1-1 center handled 474 calls in February and said the center remains “fully staffed at this time” but is confronting aging computer hardware and unreliable vendor support.
"The computers are getting to the end of their life, and they were running slower than normal," Lewis said, adding he has had trouble getting timely responses from the vendor GST. "They were not doing what they're supposed to be doing on it." He said the county is working with other vendors and with rapid-response contractors on system updates.
Lewis flagged a Legislature measure he identified as HB5351 (also cited in the meeting as 5451) that, if enacted, would allow county commissions to adopt a levy or ordinance to bill for 9-1-1 services. "That bill will allow county commissions to pass a levy or an ordinance for billing of 9-1-1 services," Lewis said, and urged commissioners to review the text and monitor any changes.
He also noted a separate state funding discussion (SB2250 in the transcript) that could cut a proposed state radio-system appropriation and shift costs to counties. Lewis said most current operating funds come from 9-1-1 cellular revenue rather than landlines, and that the county will need to consider alternative funding if cell-derived revenue is affected.
Commissioners asked whether a single levy could combine 9-1-1 with ambulance funding and Lewis recommended checking with the county attorney on the legal specifics. The commission did not take a formal vote on funding changes but agreed to monitor the bills and to consider staffing and IT procurement options as equipment needs become urgent.
The meeting also authorized a $250 advertising allocation to support recruitment for an OEM/9-1-1 director; the commission voted to let the county coordinator post job ads and pursue posting options (Indeed and social media) with that budget.
What happens next: Commissioners said they will review the bill language and consult the county attorney about levy mechanics and whether a combined levy for 9-1-1 and ambulance services is permissible.
