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Local fire chiefs and unions press Washtenaw commissioners to put E‑911 surcharge on the ballot
Summary
Fire chiefs, union leaders and dispatch advocates urged the board to authorize a ballot question to raise the E‑911 surcharge to fund a unified Metro dispatch with embedded mental‑health workers, citing outdated 43¢ surcharge and public‑safety needs. Commissioners asked for more planning and shared governance detail before final action.
Fire chiefs, union leaders and public‑safety advocates asked Washtenaw County commissioners on Aug. 5 to put an E‑911 surcharge increase before voters to modernize dispatch and pay for a unified countywide center.
Jim Rockwell, Fire Chief of Salem Township, and other chiefs described a multi‑decade problem with fragmented dispatch systems and urged an increase in the per‑line surcharge (the county rate has remained at 43¢ since 2013) so the county can fund next‑generation 9‑1‑1, integrate police, fire and EMS dispatching under shared governance, and embed mental‑health professionals in call triage. “For an increase of less than 10¢ a day for most of our residents, we can completely transform this system,” one chief said.
Speakers described neighboring counties with higher surcharges (Livingston $1.85, Monroe $2.00, Lenawee $3.00) and said local contracting communities should see savings and improved reliability under a dedicated surcharge. Commissioners asked for more specifics on governance, timing and how costs and savings would be shared by contracting municipalities. The sheriff’s office and county staff said the voters would approve a ceiling; the telephone board and county would later set the exact rate and implementation plan with public hearings.
What’s next: The board discussed but did not pass a motion to place the surcharge on the Nov. ballot; commissioners asked staff to continue planning and to produce a governance approach that includes fire, police, EMS and community‑mental‑health representation.
