By Liz Beavers
lbeavers@newstribune.info
managing editor
KEYSER — With staffing needs growing at the new Mineral County 911 Center, the Mineral County Commission is considering an increase in the 911 fee charged to every “land line” telephone service in the county.
Residents of Mineral County support the operation of the 911 center in part through both a $2 fee on every cell phone and a $3 fee on every telephone service.
“We need to seriously look at raising the fee,” County Coordinator Mike Bland said, noting that while the county can set its own fee for land lines, the state government sets the 911 fee on cell phones.
County Commissioner Janice LaRue noted 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.
Part of the need for additional revenue for the 911 system is a result of the need for additional staff at the new center on Pine Swamp Road.
The commissioners therefore voted 2-0 (Cindy Pyles was absent) Tuesday to approve Mineral County Office of Emergency Management director Marc Bashoor's request to hire two full-time 911 dispatchers and convert one present part time dispatcher to full-time status.
With those new employees in place, he said the county would be able to have three dispatchers to man the consoles for each sift.
“Our call volume is increasing each year by approximately 10 percent,” he said. “But we haven't
increased our staff in the last 10 or 15 years.”
Bashoor noted that, 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.
Commission President Wayne Spiggle commented that he and his fellow commissioners had met with the 911 employees last week, and he feels “we have a good team there.”
The proposal to increase the 911 fee on telephone lines will be presented to the commissioners at a future meeting, and a date will also be set for a public hearing on the issue.
