By Carol McIntire
Editor
March 9, 2010
Phase 2 of the county’s 911 system was to be up and running by Feb. 1, but Commissioner Larry Garner doubts it will be operational by the end of this year.
Garner told fellow Commissioner Tom Wheaton Thursday that, after attending a 911 meeting earlier in the week, he has serious doubts about the implementation.
“I feel we were not totally informed of the process,” Garner said. “I found out the mapping is nearly complete, but when it is done, it must go to a CML to see if it will fit into Verizon’s program.”
Commissioner Wheaton added that when the mapping is done, the county must contact Verizon, the company where the Phase 2 equipment was purchased, and they have six months to put everything in place.
Topping all this off, according to Garner and Wheaton, is the fact that Verizon has sold its landline business in the area to Frontier Communications and Frontier takes over the business July 1, 2010.
“Where does that leave us?” Wheaton asked. “Does Frontier have the resources to make it work? I’m concerned Verizon is buying time because they are leaving July 1. Then we will have to get new people in here and start all over again with the new company.”
He said he also learned recently the Phase 2 equipment the county purchased is being discontinued in 2010. “We will still have technical support for the equipment, but it will be old technology. We may have gotten the equipment at a better price in the beginning, but I feel we are in a ‘pay me now or pay me later’ situation and we’re going to pay them later. Most likely, we are going to need new equipment sooner than later and will maybe even need new mapping.
The GIS mapping and the new equipment were paid for with money that has accumulated in the Phase 2 911 account. Phase 2 911 is designed to pinpoint the location of cell phone callers on the 911 system. Cell phone users have been paying a monthly fee on the their cell phone bills for the past few years. In December 2008, the Ohio Legislature reduced the amount to 28 cents per month and extended the collection period for five years. The county has accumulated over $300,000 in the fund.
Sheriff Dale Williams remains optimistic the system will be up and running before the end of 2010.
Williams told the FPS in January, the equipment was ordered, was to arrive by Jan. 25 and the system was to be operational by Feb. 1.
“After we ordered the equipment and didn’t receive it when we were suppose to, we sent e-mails asking where it was and didn’t get any response,” Williams said.
Now that the equipment has arrived, he is optimistic it will be operational this year.
“We are sending one township map to CML for approval which usually takes about six weeks,” he explained. “When CML puts the software into the system. Then we notify the cell phone companies and they have six months to do their part before the system can be operational. I still believe it can be done this year.”
The county accepted the low bid of Verizon for the Phase 2, which was $70,131.85. That price included a five-year maintenance agreement at a cost of $15,923.52. The other two bids submitted for the equipment were significantly higher than the Verizon bid. At the time the bid was accepted, Williams said one reason for staying with Verizon was the county purchased the equipment for the original 911 system from Verizon.
In other business, commissioners:
-PROCLAIMED March Developmental Disabilities Month at the request of Matt Campbell, superintendent.
-SIGNED a letter for support of the Loudon Township Community Center group for a Governor’s Office of Appalachia grant to replace five furnaces in the community center (former Kilgore School) that totals approximately $13,000. The committee raised the 50 percent match (approximately $6,500).
-SIGNED a letter of understanding with Julian and Gube, the firm the county selected to perform audits.
-APPROVED a contract with Sheckler Excavating for the demolition of six properties under the Neighborhood Stabilization Program at a cost of $23,295. Funds remain available for the demolition of vacant properties. Anyone interested should contact the county’s consultant for the grant, Marshall Bleckman at 330-499-9798.
-RECEIVED the weekly dog pound report showing 20 dogs impounded, 14 tagged and two redeemed. There were two citations issued for dogs running at large.
-APPROVED three contacts for the Department of Job and Family Services: a renewal maintenance contract with Henry Heating and Cooling; a new contract with Canton Preschool for childcare and a renewal contract with the Minerva Area YMCA for childcare.
-LEARNED from Stefani Best the Ribs Burn-off is scheduled for the first Saturday in June.
-HEARD a request from Willard Albert for commissioners to ask Engineer Dave Miskimen to clean up the mess he made in the yard of Albert’s property, located at the intersection of SR 332 and Canyon Rd. He also asked commissioners to request the engineer sweep the road debris across the road from his property onto property owned by the Carroll County Historical Society. Commissioner Garner said he would speak with the engineer.
-RECEIVED the weekly dog pound report showing 16 impounded, 20 tagged and two redeemed.
-SET a public hearing for March 22 at 11 a.m. to provide informational material on the county’s application for the Community Housing Improvement Program (CHIP).
-SIGNED a letter of support for Carrollton Crest for a grant to renovate apartments at the complex, located off Canton Rd. in Carrollton. |
