SCOTT, NEW MADRID COUNTIES PROCEEDING ON 911 AGREEMENT

BENTON -- Scott County officials met with a New Madrid attorney Wednesday to outline an agreement between the two counties for an Enhanced 911 Emergency Response System.

The 15 percent surcharge on basic phone bills for the system was overwhelming approved by voters in both counties last November.

The next step in the process is a joint agreement between the counties to establish the system, said Bob Kielhofner, Scott County presiding commissioner. He said Lou Recker, who is New Madrid County's assistant prosecuting attorney, will draft a proposed agreement for the two counties.

Joining Kielhofner at the meeting were Scott County's two associate commissioners, Joe Spalding of Benton and Walter Bizzell of Sikeston.

Also present were the commission's two appointments from Scott County to an interim planning board: Mike Westrich of New Hamburg, chief of the NBC Fire Department; and Drew Juden, division commander with the Sikeston Department of Safety.

Kielhofner said no agreement has been reached on how many people will serve on the interim board. He said Scott County will probably have the same number as New Madrid County, which already appointed four representatives.

Scott County commissioners are talking with several area residents to see if they will fill the other two spots on the interim board, Kielhofner said. He thought the commission might make those appointments today at its regular meeting in Benton.

There is some consideration being given to having a ninth member on the interim board, Kielhofner said. That ninth member would be a county commissioner from New Madrid or Scott counties on an alternating basis, he said.

Kielhofner said the counties would like to notify the phone company as soon as possible to start collecting the 15 percent surcharge. Once collection of the phone surcharge starts, the 911 system must be implemented within 27 months, he said.

Westrich said he expected a simple contract between the two counties to establish the interim planning committee. He said the more planning that can be done during the initial process, the more smoothly the whole operation will go in setting up a 911 system that will serve area residents for years to come.