Cape County moves closer to 911 texting capability

Cape Girardeau County has taken another step toward adding texting capability to its 911 emergency system.

The County Commission on Thursday approved a resolution to accept a $9,140 grant from the Missouri 911 Service Board. That money will be added to $13,710 already awarded to the county as part of a $22,850 60/40 Next Generation (NG) 911 matching grant from the Missouri Department of Public Safety and administered through the Department of Homeland Security.

The NG 911 grant will be used to integrate texting technology into the county’s 911 emergency dispatch center, according to Mark Winkler, the county’s emergency services director.

To date, 29 Missouri counties have incorporated “text to 911” technology in their emergency call centers. Cape Girardeau County is one of nine counties in the state where the technology is pending, according to the Missouri 911 Service Board. Currently, the only county in Southeast Missouri to offer the service is Stoddard.

The 911 text service will benefit deaf people and those with limited hearing capabilities, as well as people in situations that a voice call might endanger them.

“If someone is in a compromised situation and they can’t use their phone to call 911 but are able to text, this is a way for us to find out who’s in danger and get help to them immediately,” Winkler said.

The emergency services director said it will probably take “six to eight months before the project is complete.”

More information about “text to 911” service in Missouri may be found online at www.missouri911.org/text-to-911.

Scott City tax collections

The Cape Girardeau County commissioners approved a request Thursday from County Collector Barbara Gholson to collect applicable taxes on behalf of Scott City for several pieces of property within that community’s city limits that are in Cape Girardeau County.

“The county has never collected for the City of Scott City before,” Gholson said, and explained her office received a request from Scott City to handle a handful of tax bills that were previously issued by Scott County.

“In all, it affects about 10 or fewer parcels in the county,” Gholson said. “We’ll collect the money and forward it to (Scott City).”

Other business

In other action Thursday, the commissioners accepted a bid from Elmer Buchheit Construction in Friedheim for work on County Road 379 in the amount of $177,693.65.

The Buchheit bid was the lowest of three bids received by the county highway department. Those bids were $203,086 and $442,408.

The commission also approved a payment from the county’s Coronavirus Aid, Relief and Economic Security (CARES) Act fund to Saxony Lutheran High School in the amount of $17,182.32, reimbursing the school for the cost of personal protective equipment and certain online learning needs.

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