Clarke County Democrat

Cell phone fees for E-911 going from 70¢ to $1.60





The Clarke County E-911 Board approved a resolution/ notice Aug. 12 concerning an increase in the flat, statewide fee on all devices, which can access 911. Cell phone fees will increase.

A 13-member statewide board worked with Auburn University in Montgomery to produce estimates of the revenue needed statewide, the total devices that can access 911 in Alabama, and a formula for distributing revenue.

The fee on all devices was set at $1.60 per month and will be effective Oct. 1. The new flat fee will replace the current charge of $2 for residential landline service and the business landline rate of $3.

Cell phone fees will go from 70 cents to $1.60, said Becky Neugent, county 911 coordinator. Businesses who previously paid one fee for every 100 phone lines will now have to pay per phone line.

“All the money will basically go into one pot and be dispersed to all the 911 (districts),” Neugent said. “Every emergency communication district in the State of Alabama was charging different amounts. To save the smaller counties from losing money on everybody, who were dropping their landlines, they opted to go this route – so we can continue to get funding.”

Clarke County will make $26,000 more annually under the new fee structure, she said. The fee structure will be reviewed by the state wireless board each year.

“E-911 is a very valuable and necessary service,” said E-911 board member Elma Averett, “and like all services they have to be funded.”

In other action from the meeting, possible changes to the agreement with ambulance services in the county are being formulated.

A special meeting was held recently between representatives of the Amstar and ASAP ambulance services, Neugent, county commissioners Averett and Rhondel Rhone, Roy Waite (county Emergency Management Agency director), representatives of the two county hospitals, and Grove Hill Mayor Levon Hicks.

One issue discussed in the meeting was response times of the ambulance services, Neugent said. The area media was not informed of the meeting.

County Attorney Bruce Wilson has to have further discussions with Neugent and Waite on improvements to the agreement.

The improved ambulance agreement may be presented for approval at the Sept. 9 E-911 board meeting.

 Statistics for July include:

– Incoming calls totaled 4,980.

– E-911 responded to 625 calls for service.

– The busiest time was 2 p.m., and the busiest day was Saturday.

 Statistics for June include:

– Incoming calls totaled 5,747.

– E-911 responded to 548 calls for service.

– The busiest time was 7 p.m., and the busiest day was Monday.



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