Commissioners assess E-911 situation

BENTON -- Scott County's E-911 is in need of some changes. The problem is, commissioners don't know what to do with it.

"We're trying to assess what the situation is, what we can and can't do," Commissioner Ron McCormick said during Thursday's regular meeting.

Commissioners discussed the issue after emergency management director Joe Burton gave an update on the Senate hearing he attended Tuesday in regards to the service.

"It was a good hearing -- it had a lot of people," Burton said. "I sat there and listened to a lot of testimony and realized that our services are a lot ahead of most people."

One of the big complaints at the session was that consumers pay a 911 tax on their cell phone bills, but the Missouri system doesn't receive any of that money. "We don't know where it goes," Burton said.

"If it will be on the bill like that, we want the money," he continued. "People think they're paying the 911 wireless tax and they're not."

A wireless tax is crucial with the widespread usage of cell phones and depleting number of land lines.

On Wednesday, McCormick met with county 911 representatives and one from the sheriff's office to evaluate the program.

As in most other Missouri areas, communities are hard pressed to pay for 911. Burton said some counties -- although not Scott County -- are even considering shutting down their systems.

"How do you cut something that helps general life?" asked Commissioner Dennis Ziegenhorn. "But you can't keep robbing Peter to pay Paul."

One problem could be that two towns, Sikeston and Scott City, use their own system, not the county's. "We all need to come together on this," Ziegenhorn said.

Burton said there will be forums across the state for people to discuss 911. The Southeast Missouri forum has not yet been set.

Also at Thursday's meeting, commissioners approved microfilming of miscellaneous deeds and deeds of trust by Recorder Tom Dirnberger's office. The estimated cost was $2,700 to $3,2000.

McCormick also noted that several people stopped by at the rodeo grounds to check out the mobile command trailer.