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Home > Blogs > Butler County News and Issues > Archives > 2009 > February > 12 > Entry
Three cities, one seat on board that decides funding
Politics and public safety may soon collide over access to cell phone tax money used to buy emergency dispatch equipment.
On March 1, one of the six 911 dispatch centers in Butler County will lose access to a pool of cash they use to update their dispatch equipment, according to this year’s state budget.
This money comes from a 32 cent tax everyone in Butler County pays monthly on their cell phone bills. It averages $72,000 a month split evenly among the county sheriff’s office, Hamilton, Middletown, Fairfield, Oxford and West Chester Twp.
As of Feb. 12, the fund totaled $1.8 million.
Who gets the shaft will be decided by a five-member board yet to be appointed. That board, under Ohio law, consists of someone from the county’s largest city, the county commission, the county’s largest township and one at-large member each from all the other cities and townships in the county.
Enter politics, as Oxford, Middletown and Fairfield each want that spot on that board.
How they’ll agree who to appoint has to be worked out, said Middletown Police Chief Greg Schwarber, whose office stands to lose $203,685.
“We’re still working on that,” he said.
Fairfield Police Chief Michael Dickey, who has $340,270 at stake, said they need to form “a collegial group that has the ability to think for the group.”
At a meeting of law enforcement leaders Thursday, Feb. 12, Monroe Police Chief Greg Homer suggested they rotate the five eligible dispatch centers. But some, including Butler County Emergency Management Director William Turner, feared this would run afoul of the state’s intent.
“I think everybody realizes someone is going to be left out,” Turner said.
The cell phone tax drops to 28 cents a month in March, Turner said, but that still amounts to a lot of money at stake.
That money is used to purchase radio consoles, headphones, training and all types of equipment used to handle emergency call that come from cell phones.
Permalink | Comments (3) | Post your comment | Categories: Crime and courts
Comments
By Larry
February 13, 2009 11:18 AM | Link to this
Interesting…If I read this correctly there are six dispatches in the county and only five will receive funds. The committee of five who decides this is made up of two cities, two townships and one county representative. The math tells me the dispatch that will be cut is the county/sheriff operated dispatch.
By Connie
February 13, 2009 11:23 AM | Link to this
Once again it seems the only person who knows what they are talking about and is for doingwhats rightand is legal, regardless of politics is the EMA director. Any wonder now why he’s being forced out by the politicians and officials that are only concerned about themseleves. No doubt they want to hire one of their own as the next EMA director.
By Tony
February 17, 2009 1:02 PM | Link to this
Hey Middletown, you’re screwed again.