Story Created:
Oct 29, 2009 at 5:42 PM CDT
Story Updated:
Oct 29, 2009 at 6:22 PM CDT
MARSHALL COUNTY, KY - Located within the Sheriff's Department, The 911 Dispatch Center is filled with computers, phones, and a constant buzz of activity.
"We are a 911 Central Dispatch. Everything comes in here, everything is dispatched out of here," Director Jeff Daniel said Thursday during an interview.
But one thing not coming into the county's 911 center is cash. Daniel says the center is a victim of technology.
"Last fiscal year we lost about $21,000 in revenue on land line surcharges and only gained about $3,500 in wireless revenue."
In fact, Daniel says the 911 center has lost more than 200-thousand dollars over the past three years. Now county and city leaders are sending out their own calls for help- wondering how to keep this operation up and running.
As it appears now there are three options; move the center somewhere else, possibly KSP Headquarters, raise 911 taxes on land lines, or leave things as they are by finding money within city and county governments.
County Commissioner Terry Anderson says raising taxes is not an option, at least not for him.
He believes there is money to be found other than the taxpayers' pockets, "We may have to do some shuffling to do this, the cities may assist in this but we're going to have to make sure 911 is up and running."
Daniel, meanwhile, says he believes he has the support of those local government officials, "Marshall County will not do away with 911 service."
No formal decisions have been made. Commissioner Anderson hopes a decision will be reached by early next year. He says the decision is not something he and colleagues need to rush into.
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Rosie J. said on Saturday, Oct 31 at 5:13 AM
Well I would pay extra dollars in taxes to keep 911 up and running. Every person in Marshall County either has used it,or will use it sooner or later. I appreciate them being there for us!
31369488Gurth said on Friday, Oct 30 at 9:10 AM
Ok sure a guy that says "can b runned" is someone I really want to pay attention to what he has to say. I'm in that dispatch center pretty much weekly and while things in there are expensive, that equipment is necessary to dispatch centers nationwide. Marshall County has an excellent infrastructure and if anything needed more money even before this budget shortfall. People that wouldn't want to pay a few dollars a year for this service have no clue what they will miss when its gone.
31327117Anonymous said on Friday, Oct 30 at 4:34 AM
Heh, I agree with that previous comment.
31317502Anonymous said on Friday, Oct 30 at 12:39 AM
I love reading people's comments on here, but come on people - let's at least write them so they make sense & can be understood!
31314773Jim said on Thursday, Oct 29 at 10:54 PM
911 and any other Emergency Service needs 100% funding no ? asked
31312408robert mac said on Thursday, Oct 29 at 7:56 PM
i think they should go back to the way it was some years ago they can get a phone with caller id and adress display the police dept and others can get gps units and the 911 dispatch could b runned somewhat cheaper and not depend so much on all the exspesive computers we simple peoalple could find a way to do it and make it work for less with less they have done it b 4 we could do it again
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