By Liz Beavers
lbeavers@newstribune.info
managing editor

KEYSER — Although the Mineral County Commissioners are currently considering increasing the 911 fee levied on “land line” telephone service, they said Tuesday that the proposed $1 raise may not be enough to help cover the rapidly escalating costs of operating county-wide emergency services.
“Everyone's got 911 facilities, and updating those facilities, ” Commission President Wayne Spiggle said Tuesday during the regular county commission meeting. “But nobody has the money they need.”
Mineral County's 911 center is presently funded in part through the $3 fee placed on every cell phone in use in the county and a $2 fee on “land line” telephones.
While the county can set it's own fee for telephones, which is where the increase would be applied, the cell phone fee is set by state government.
That would not be a problem, the commissioners pointed out, except that more and more residents are dropping their land line telephone service in favor of cell phones.
“And the trend is going to continue as we get more and more successful in expanding broadband,” Spiggle said.
With that in mind, he commented Tuesday that “there's got to be some thought on the part of the state in regard to another way to fund (911 services).”
Commissioner Janice LaRue also noted that the state legislatures periodically try to re-allocate the money, or a portion of the money, for other
purposes.
She added, however, that she cannot foresee the state initiating a special tax just for the counties' 911 centers.
“They may, however, increase the wireless fee,” she said.
In the meantime, Mineral County will hold a public hearing on the proposed $1 increase on Tuesday, Oct. 27, in conjunction with the regular commission meeting.
Anyone wishing to view a copy of the draft proposal for the increase may request a copy at County Clerk Lauren Ellifritz's office prior to the hearing.