Chairwoman Virginia Alexander said a rate increase could be needed because of newly installed software related to medical calls and a proposed expansion of the county’s 911 complex. Presently, Morgan County 911 bills responding agencies $3.98 per call.
On Feb. 4, the consolidation of 911 offices in the county was completed after Morgan County 911 moved four former Sheriff's Office dispatchers to the Charles W. Nichols Communication Center in the Flint area.
At the time, the Morgan County Commission agreed to pay the county 911 system $13,623.21 a month until September to provide dispatch services for the Sheriff’s Office. Commission Chairman Ray Long said the $13,000 is based last year’s call volume and comes out of the jail budget.
Alexander said the board on Tuesday “will look at different cost analyses and look at our overall budget."
She said the board will likely issue a municipal bond to help pay for the building’s expansion if approved.
The center employs 35 dispatchers, according to Morgan 911 Director Jeanie Pharis. She said in February she would “like to add four to six more dispatchers in the next two to five years.”
Alexander said more dispatchers will be needed when Morgan County realizes increased population from new industries coming to the area, including the Mazda Toyota Manufacturing USA plant.
“With population growth, we’ll see an increase in call volume,” she said.
Alexander said the building was constructed to easily expand the dispatcher operations room.
“Plans are to take down both walls in the conference rooms and training rooms to make more room,” she said. “The time has come. We’re like sardines in there now that all agencies are dispatched from here.”
Alexander said the board has contacted some architects about the cost of an expansion project.
“We’re unsure right now,” she said. “We’ll add to the front of the building for conference and training rooms. We should know some ballpark costs on the expansion sometime in July.”
Board Vice Chairman Eddie Hicks said the expansion will give dispatchers more elbow room, but more importantly, will allow the center to accommodate more dispatchers in case of an emergency event.
“Right now, every dispatcher has a seat,” he said. “But if we had an increased volume of calls if an emergency event was to occur, the extra dispatchers brought in will need a place to work.”
He said the board is interviewing architects who have experience dealing with 911 buildings.
Hicks said Tuesday's meeting will be at the Morgan County Emergency Management Agency auditorium in the basement of the courthouse.
Hicks said the Morgan County 911 board also is looking at needed work on the water tower that provides water to the Nichols complex.
“It provides the complex with drinking water and fire-suppression water,” Hicks said. “It’s not an immediate need, but it’s something we can’t let drag on either.”
Hicks and Alexander said they are looking for water supply trucks to furnish the water while the work is being done. Hicks said it could take a couple of weeks once the project begins.
Thirty-four entities are in the Morgan County 911 network. They are Decatur police, Morgan sheriff, Decatur fire, Hartselle Fire, ambulance services Lifeguard and First Response, the police departments of Somerville, Trinity, Priceville, Hartselle, Falkville, the Morgan County Rescue Squad and 22 volunteer fire departments.
— mike.wetzel@decaturdaily.com or 256-340-2442. Twitter @DD_Wetzel.
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