SCOTT CITY TO ALLOW 911 SERVICE OUTSIDE CITY LIMITS

SCOTT CITY -- If Scott City voters approve in November the installation of a 911 emergency telephone system in the city, it could pave the way for other residents in the 264 telephone exchange to have access to 911.

The Scott City Council voted Monday to allow residents outside the city to have access to the system as long as they agree to pay the same fees assessed to city residents for the service.

Scott City voters will decide Nov. 5 whether to fund the service. If installation is approved, city residents will be assessed 15 percent of their basic phone bill per month for the first two years to pay for the system's set up.

According to council members, the monthly charge will not exceed $1.14 per month for a basic phone service bill of $7.55. The basic rate does not include charges for long-distance calls.

The 911 issue is also on the November ballot in the neighboring town of Commerce, but not in Kelso.

An informational meeting is scheduled tonight concerning the 911 system and its costs. The public is invited to the meeting, which begins at 7 at the Scott City High School cafeteria.

In an unrelated matter, the months-long debate of house renumbering in the city looks like it might come to an end. Members of the City Council and a committee appointed to study the renumbering plan decide Monday to meet later this week and make a final decision whether to proceed with the plan.

The two groups have been debating over which plan to follow: one developed in 1989 or a revised version of that plan made up in recent weeks by members of the renumbering committee.

"I'd like to see the two parties get together and see if this could be worked out," said Councilman Jerry Cummins.

Mayor Shirley Young agreed.

"This has caused hate, unrest and ridiculous controversy," Young said. "Let's give it one last shot and, if we can't come to a solution, we'll either throw it out or hire an independent firm" to finish the project.

Councilman John Smith, one of the authors of the original plan, recommended hiring an independent engineering firm to not only renumber houses but to also rename streets in the town.

But others said city officials and members of the committee should work it out themselves.

"It's the only solution," said Councilman Ron Oller, who headed the renumbering committee. "We just need to stop bickering and decide something."

The groups plan to meet Thursday at 7 p.m. at City Hall to come to a final solution.

City residents were sent letters in August stating they had 30 days to correct their house numbers according to the original 1989 plan. Protests, mostly by residents of the city's County Club subdivision, led to the plan being put on hold and later revised.

Some residents who attended Monday's meeting were upset that the renumbering issue has been on hold for months.

"If you don't get something done (Thursday) night," said resident Norman Gossling, "you're going to have a whole new council come next election."

Resident Herbert Smith told the council he had complied with the August letter and changed his number in accordance with the original plan.

"I changed my number," Smith told the council, "and I'll tell you, you're going to have a hell of a time changing it back."