Commissioners authorize technology work to route 911 calls after contract split with tribe

A state agency representative told the Buffalo County Board of Commissioners that the county’s current dispatch contract lists the county and the tribe together and needs to be split so each jurisdiction can manage its own law-enforcement service and dispatch arrangements. "What I'm gonna do is start the technology swing on this, which takes about 60 days," the state agency representative said, noting the target to begin routing calls in the first part of September if the county authorized the work.

The discussion focused on how surcharge revenue flows to the county and how the tribe would be billed. The auditor/finance officer explained that the city finance officer would invoice monthly and the tribe would remit a single check to the county, which would then pay the vendor. Commissioners asked about the size of surcharge receipts; attendees estimated roughly $1,400 per month currently in remitted surcharges.

Commissioner discussion also covered staffing and law-enforcement responsibilities: the state representative emphasized that the City of Winter would provide the service, while the state’s role concerns managing the 9-1-1 system. Commissioners agreed the contract language should reflect separate arrangements for Buffalo County and the tribe to avoid jurisdictional confusion.

A motion to allow staff to begin the technology work to route 911 calls to the City of Winter was moved and seconded; the board approved the motion by voice vote.

The county did not adopt a new county-wide appropriation for the switch at the meeting; officials said the county general fund balances are healthy and that any shortfall from the surcharge remittance could be noted in future financial reports. The county indicated it will inform the state and the City of Winter when the local authorization is complete and will invite the City of Winter to present the contract at the next meeting.