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Budget committee reviews 911 funding, power backup and cybersecurity needs
Summary
Committee members reviewed 911 center staffing levels, an unpaid/uninstalled uninterrupted power supply (UPS) funded partly by TVA and the 911 board, maintenance/service costs, tower redundancy, and a proposed NCIC cybersecurity assessment estimated at $14,000; members noted a state 911 fee increase that could add revenue but said county supplementation will continue.
The budget committee spent a substantial portion of the session on the county’s 911 operations and related infrastructure. Committee members and 911 staff (Holly) described ongoing equipment needs, staffing levels and emerging cybersecurity requirements.
Holly told the committee entry-level 911 pay ranges around $14.50–$15 an hour, with longevity for supervisors and some longer-tenured staff earning closer to $20. She said the current uninterrupted power supply (UPS) in the 911 building is beyond its expected life, TVA provided partial funding for a new UPS and the 911 board intends to pay the remainder; the new system includes a five-year service plan but will create an expected ongoing service contract (roughly $4,000–$5,000 per year) and periodic battery replacement costs.
Committee members discussed tower redundancy (the landfill tower is a primary site, additional sites cover east and west ends), the consequences of outages for radio and phone service, and the challenge of maintaining aging hardware. Members also raised cybersecurity concerns: staff noted an NCIC cybersecurity assessment could cost roughly $14,000 and that state cybersecurity mandates will require further investment, with an implementation timeline discussed through 2027 for system changes.
The committee also discussed a recent state increase in the monthly 911 fee (from about $1.50 to $1.83), which will raise distributions to counties; staff projected Houston County could receive approximately an additional $121,000 statewide allocation based on population, but larger counties will receive much larger sums. Despite that increase, members emphasized the county currently supplements 911 operations by an estimated $130,000–$135,000 annually and will need to document that supplement in future budgets so state allocations reflect local spending.
No formal motion on 911 funding was recorded at this meeting; staff were asked to provide more detailed cost estimates and the projected revenue impact for the next budget meeting.
