By Liz Beavers
lbeavers@newstribune.info
managing editor

KEYSER — The Mineral County Commission has scheduled a public meeting on the proposed 911 fee increase for county residents for Tuesday, Oct. 27.
Residents of Mineral County currently support the operation of the 911 center in part through  a $2 fee on every cell phone and a $3 fee on every telephone “land line” service. The  county can set its own fee for land lines, but the state government sets the 911 fee on cell phones.
County Commissioner Janice LaRue noted at the Aug. 11 commission meeting that some counties are charging as much as
$4, but high fees concern her because it might place an undue burden on people living on fixed incomes.
“We need to keep it as low as possible,” she said.
Tuesday, County Coordinator Mike Bland said the officials were looking at “a potential increase of $1 per month.”
Part of the need for additional revenue for the 911 system is a result of  the hiring of  two full-time 911 dispatchers and the conversion of one present part time dispatcher to full-time status. The commissioners approved those changes on Aug. 11.
The increase in manpower will allow the county to have three dispatchers on duty for each shift.
“Our call volume is increasing each year by approximately 10 percent, but we haven't
increased our staff in the last 10 or 15 years,” said Office of Emergency Management Director Marc Bashoor.
Bashoor noted, however, even with the increase in the 911 fee, the county will “probably have to fund (the increase in staffing) from the general fund in the future.
“Worst case scenario, we might need to supplement with $60,000 out of the general fund,” he said.
Bashoor added that part of the funding problem is caused by the increased number of residents trading their home telephones for a cell phone.
“We're seeing an increase in wireless fees, but a decrease in land line fees,” he said.
The Oct. 27 public meeting will be held in conjunction with the commissioners' regular meeting scheduled for 4:30 p.m. that day, and will be held at the courthouse.