COUNTY COMMISSIONERS REDUCE THE 911 SURCHARGE

JACKSON -- The Cape Girardeau County Commission Thursday voted to reduce the surcharge on basic telephone bills that covers costs of a 911 emergency telephone system from 15 percent to 8 percent.

The reduction will show up on telephone bills sent out by Southwestern Bell in January. The charge is applied only to the base rate for residential and business customers.

Brian Miller, the county's emergency operations center director who chairs the county 911 committee, said his committee reviewed the costs of maintaining the system and determined a drop in the surcharge would be appropriate.

"We promised the public that the rate would be rolled back enough to maintain the system and still have a little left over for anything unforeseen," said Miller. "We feel this will provide adequate money to do that.

"We've tried to be as conservative as we could in all areas, but still not come up short. We are confident in what we are proposing to do today."

Miller said the committee's technical adviser has also agreed that the new surcharge would provide adequate revenue.

In November 1991, voters in Cape Girardeau County approved the surcharge as provided for under Missouri statutes, to generate revenue for implementation of a countywide 911 telephone system. The initial surcharge of 15 percent generated about $640,000 the last two years; it was used to purchase equipment and put the system into effect.

The system went online in early November. Miller pointed out that state law enables the surcharge to be adjusted only every two years. Fifteen percent is the maximum rate that can be charged.

The lower surcharge will generate about $341,000 a year.

In approving the rate, the commission also approved a proposed budget for 1994 from the committee.

Southwestern Bell collects the surcharge and then distributes it quarterly to the county. A large part of the surcharge eventually goes back to the phone company, however, to pay for expenses associated with the phone system.

The phone company will get about $185,000 of the money in payments for the Southwestern Bell network, the selective router and telephone lines for the printers located at rural fire departments.

Miller told the commission that the lower rate also provides money for a $5,000 contingency fund.

Total installation costs for the system came to just over $1 million.

In preparing the budget for 1994 and determining the surcharge rate to recommend, Miller explained that the committee tried to project revenues and expenses through 1998. The budget includes funds for one fulltime person who is responsible for keeping the addressing and other parts of the system current.