County discusses concept of shifting 911 fees from phone to utility bills

Judge-Executive Dean Watts explains to Nelson Fiscal Court a way to improve funding for the joint city-county 911 service in the wake of declining landline and cellphone 911 fees.

By JIM BROOKS
Nelson County Gazette / WBRT Radio

Tuesday, Jan. 5, 2016, 7 p.m. — Nelson Fiscal Court today heard a proposal from Judge-Executive Dean Watts that would more fairly fund the joint city-county’s 911 dispatch center.

Watts told the court the dispatch center currently receives 911 fees from landline and cellphone users, as well as contributions from both the city and county governments.

Magistrate Jeff Lear talks with Judge-Executive Dean Watts prior to the start of Tuesdays Nelson Fiscal Court meeting.

The dispatch center’s 911 revenue has dropped in the last few years due to the decline in the number of people who have landline telephones. According to Watts, fewer than 45 percent of homes and businesses in the county still use a landline telephone.

Landlines users currently pay a $1.71 per-month 911 fee set by county government; cellphone users pay a 70 cent-per-month 911 fee — a fee set by the Kentucky General Assembly.

Using figures later corrected by the City of Bardstown, in 2012, the dispatch center received $257,828 in landline 911 fees. Those fees dropped to $180,144 in 2014 and $162,800 in 2015.

County and city governments each contribute funds to pay for the dispatch center’s expenses that go beyond the 911 fees they receive. The county pays 60 percent, while the city pays a 40 percent share of the rest of the 911 budget.

But what about those 911 cellphone fees?

While cellphone users in Nelson County do pay 70 cents per month, that money leaves the county and is pooled with other cellphone 911 fees.

Cellular carriers pay those fees to a state agency, the Commercial Mobile Radio Service Emergency Telecommunications (CMRS) board. The CMRS then distributes that funding to 911 dispatch centers which have met the certifications required to qualify to receive funding.

“The problem is that as more and more dispatch centers are certified, the cell phone 911 fees are divided further,” Magistrate Jeff Lear said. The result is that there are more centers receiving funding from the pool of cellphone 911 money.

There are also loopholes that allow pre-paid cellphone users to pay little or nothing in 911 fees.

As revenues that support the dispatch center decline, the challenge is finding a way that will fairly provide sufficient funding, Watts said.

The current landline fee amounts to $20.52 per year, and Watts said his intent is to simply have the fee remain the same, but have it applied to occupied residences and businesses who the 911 service benefits.

The issue of 911 funding isn’t just a Nelson County problem, Watts explained. Some counties have raised their landline 911 fees as high as $3 or $4 per month in an effort to fund their dispatch centers.

Even if the county raised its landline fee, the increase would only be collected from those households and businesses with landlines.

Another option to increase 911 revenue is to ask the General Assembly to raise the cellphone fee higher than its current rate of 70 cents per month — a move Watts said isn’t likely in the current political climate.

If a new 911 fee is created, the county would eliminate its existing 911 landline fee; the new fee would be placed on utility bills, the details of which are still being researched. The proposal means more people who use dispatch services will help pay for the service.

Watts provided detailed handouts describing the projects the dispatch center has taken on over the years — projects that include the dispatch center’s recording system, radio, tower and antenna projects; GPS mapping, software, and GIS services. — totaling $418,475. The dispatch center’s spending has never been reckless or out-of-control, he said.

Bardstown Mayor John Royalty attended the meeting, and voiced his support for the funding concept. Royalty said he was committed to keeping the city and county governments together in support of the 911 dispatch center.

“We can’t go backwards,” he said.

LUXCO RESOLUTION. The court unanimously approved a resolution of support for Luxco Inc., which has planned to build a new distillery, bottling house and warehouses in Bardstown on KY 245 near Keystone Avenue.

The resolution states fiscal court will help the company’s project by supporting its efforts to obtain local and state economic development incentives.

In other business, the court:

— approved the county clerk’s annual settlement;

— conducted an executives session to discuss one or more businesses or industries who are considering projects in Nelson County. The court took no action following the closed session.

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