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Cabell County Commission approves E911 fee increase after residents object
Summary
After residents and a business owner objected at a public hearing, the Cabell County Commission unanimously approved an amendment to its countywide E911 ordinance to raise the fee on local exchange service consumers to finance maintenance.
The Cabell County Commission unanimously approved an amendment to its countywide Enhanced Emergency Telephone System (E911) ordinance on May 26, 2016, moving forward with an increase to the fee charged to local exchange service consumers to finance the system’s maintenance.
The action followed a public hearing at which Monty Fowler, a Cabell County resident, argued the proposed increase would be “excessive and unfair,” saying most landline users remaining in the county are senior citizens on fixed incomes. Pat Reger, a local resident and business owner, said citizens had already borne a $2 monthly increase two years earlier to build the new 911 center and argued that landline users should not alone carry a further burden.
Mike Davis, director of CCERC, told commissioners that without the proposed increase the center would have to lay off five employees. Davis said prior cuts—such as the loss of one administrative position—had already reduced staffing and that additional reductions would overburden dispatchers.
Commissioner Nancy Cartmill told the hearing that the E911 tariff is the only revenue source for the center that the Commission can control; she said the county has sought savings elsewhere, for example by changing insurance carriers and raising deductibles. Commissioner Robert L. Bailey said he generally opposes tax increases but did not see an alternative to avert the staffing losses the director described.
After discussion the Commission moved to approve the proposed amendment to the Cabell County Commission’s ordinance establishing, maintaining and operating a countywide Enhanced Emergency Telephone System to increase the fee on local exchange service consumers. The motion, made by Commissioner Nancy Cartmill and seconded by Commissioner Robert L. Bailey, carried unanimously.
The minutes record the decision but do not specify the new fee amount or an implementation date; the ordinance amendment is entered in the record as Exhibit (A). The Commission did not identify an alternative funding source during the meeting.
Next steps indicated in the minutes: the amendment was approved at the May 26 meeting; further administrative details (new fee amount, effective date, or notice to affected subscribers) were not specified in the transcript.
