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The INDEPENDENT, April 1, 2004
9-1-1 District again seeks levy renewal
Michael Duce, of Mist, before and after his head was
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Voters will be asked to re-
new a five-year operating levy
for the Columbia 9-1-1 Com-
munications District on the May
18 ballot. If that sounds familiar,
it is. You voted on it last No-
vember.
In November the measure
was approved by 69.8 percent
of the ballots cast, but those
votes were invalidated because
voter turnout was one percent
less than the 50 percent re-
quired. The May election also
requires a 50 percent voter
turnout, along with majority ap-
proval, for the measure to pass.
The operating fund for Co-
lumbia 9-1-1 was approved by
voters in 1998 and expires on
June 30 of this year. The district
is seeking renewal at a slightly
lower rate than the current levy.
In filing the renewal measure,
Columbia 9-1-1 cited the impor-
tance of renewing the Operat-
ing Fund now, before it expires.
Dee Wooley, President of
the Board for Columbia 9-1-1
Communications
District,
points out, “The overwhelming
vote of support in the Novem-
ber election clearly demonstrat-
ed that voters recognize, want
and need essential 9-1-1 serv-
ice. It is essential that voters
send in their ballots. People
throughout the county rely on
this vital emergency communi-
cation service. This is simply a
renewal of the Operating Fund,
not a new tax.” He adds, “The
9-1-1 district is committed to
providing a good value to our
citizens and communities. The
District has been efficient while
improving services, and as a
result, the rate will decrease
slightly for the renewal.”
The District has accom-
plished what is said it would do
by improving essential equip-
ment while at the same time in-
creasing its service. The num-
ber of calls to the District has
doubled in the last ten years.
Plus, the county-wide mi-
crowave/radio “backbone” that
was completed this winter now
connects all agencies in Co-
lumbia County through an up-
graded, uninterrupted network
that no longer relies on tele-
phone lines. The microwave ra-
dio upgrade was made possi-
ble by federal funding brought
to our communities by the 9-1-
1 District.
As the county’s population
has grown, so has its use of
emergency communications.
“District 9-1-1 dispatchers han-
dle more than 10 calls an hour,
240 calls a day, or about
90,000 phone calls answered
per year,” says District Adminis-
trator Sally Jones. “That’s more
than double what the Call Cen-
ter handled only 10 years ago.
We successfully connect 16 dif-
ferent agencies with people
who need their services. We’re
a vital link for the safety and liv-
ability that our citizens deserve
– and get.”
Numerous individuals, or-
ganizations, local city councils
and district boards have en-
dorsed the renewal of the five-
year Operating Fund. A cam-
paign organization, The Renew
Columbia 9-1-1 Committee,
has formed with Rob Anderson
acting as treasurer.
The five-year Operating
Fund supports all ongoing func-
tions of the 9-1-1 Call Center,
such as maintaining emer-
gency communications service
for all communities and unin-
corporated areas throughout
the county; 24-hour staffing
and training; coordination and
dispatching for 16 public safe-
ty agencies in Columbia Coun-
ty, including all fire, emergency
medical and police in each
community, and related support
services for State Police and
State Forestry Departments.
The five-year renewal will
maintain the level of service cit-
izens throughout Columbia
County now receive.
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