Hillsdale County restores $3 911 surcharge after funding and timing debate

The Hillsdale County Board of Commissioners voted to set the county’s enhanced-911 surcharge at $3 per device per month after extended debate over fund balances, planned phone and radio-system upgrades and the timing of voter reauthorization. Commissioners initially approved an amendment to reduce the proposed rate to $2.90, but later reconsidered and restored the $3 rate by a 3–2 vote.

The resolution as introduced called for the $3 surcharge to be levied from July 1 through Dec. 31, 2026, and for the county 911 director to notify the state 911 committee as required. Supporters said the higher rate was needed to cover near-term costs including a multi-year phone upgrade that has already spent about $100,000 with $100,000–$125,000 remaining, hiring an IT support position and ongoing costs related to the new 800 MHz radio system.

"We will not have a 911 system operational if we do not have a surcharge," one commissioner said, summarizing the argument from county staff and the 911 board that a short-term revenue reduction could leave the operation short of necessary funding. The county’s 911 fund balance was reported at roughly $776,122.94, about half of the annual budget for the dispatch center; commissioners discussed whether that balance and committed capital needs justified a temporary reduction.

Thomas Wicker, the county 911 director, urged caution about cutting the rate and described the center’s pending expenses. He told the board that the department has already spent about $100,000 on a phone upgrade and expects a remaining $100,000–$125,000 balance; the office also plans to add an IT support hire that would further reduce the fund balance. "We are hiring an IT support person, which is going to take our phone balance down another $75,000 to $80,000 roughly with the benefits and all that," Wicker said. He also said his office is negotiating staff-contract ratification that would include a 3% annual raise over five years.

Opponents of the higher rate argued the surcharge has produced significant fund-balance growth and that a modest reduction would be a good-faith gesture to voters ahead of a reauthorization election. One commissioner said lowering the surcharge by 10 cents would reduce revenue by about $30,000 a year and argued the board could revisit the rate once the major capital costs are known. Another argued that asking voters to approve a permanent or "forever" surcharge at the statutory maximum could make ballot approval more difficult.

After an initial roll-call amendment to $2.90 carried, a motion to reconsider the earlier vote succeeded and the board later amended the resolution back to $3. The board’s final vote returned the surcharge to $3 per device per month.

The board recorded roll-call votes on the amendments and final resolution. Next steps include the county’s formal notice to the state 911 committee and continued monitoring of the 911 fund balance and capital expenditures.