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LISBON -- The updated Columbiana County 911 final plan has been approved, with a copy officially submitted to the state late Thursday afternoon.
"I was glad to get that done," county Emergency Management Agency Deputy Director and 911 Coordinator Brian Rutledge said Friday.
Nearly all municipalities and townships throughout the county approved the plan, along with the county commissioners.
The plan required approval by the commissioners, along with municipalities and townships representing 60 percent of the county population.
Rutledge said all but a couple of small villages had approved the amended 911 plan by the deadline that was set.
The county had a deadline of April 3 to submit the plan to the state.
He said not much changed in the plan with the exception of the state mandated formation of a six-member 911 Program Review Committee comprised of elected public officials with a very specific makeup to make decisions regarding 911.
Previously the emergency services committee handled decision-making, but now the members will serve as an advisory committee to the new group.
The plan outlines the county's 911 system which includes five Public Safety Answering Points (PSAPs) and the county Emergency Management Agency which as a back-up location for answering calls.
The PSAPs include the county Sheriff's Office, and Salem, Columbiana, East Liverpool and East Palestine police departments.
The Program Review Committee includes county Commissioner Tim Weigle, Sheriff Brian McLaughlin, Salem Mayor Cyndi Baronzzi Dickey, St. Clair Township Trustee James Sabatini, Madison Township Trustee Wayne Chamberlain, and East Liverpool City Councilman Jeff Kreefer.
As part of the plan, a narrative was submitted describing the details about the county 911 operation, including the fact that the communities which have a PSAP are responsible for costs such as staffing, facilities, utilities, insurance, supplies and miscellaneous other costs.
The narrative includes the breakdown of representatives for the advisory committee, previously known as the 911 Emergency Services Committee, which includes emergency responders and officials.
Funding for 911 includes a 50-cent monthly fee charged per landline in the county, which voters approved, with a 25-cent monthly fee for wireless devices. With recently approved new legislation, that 25-cent fee is expected to rise, but not by the amount county officials wanted.
Weigle explained previously that he, Rutledge and county EMA Director Peggy Clark traveled to Columbus and argued for a 70-cent monthly fee per wireless device to cover the costs. Unfortunately, when the legislation reached the state senate, the fee was dropped to 40 cents per wireless device and the percentage of that fee each county receives was dropped to 72 percent. That means they'll only see an increase of maybe 3 cents per wireless device and that's not enough to centralize operations to one 911 center, which has been discussed.
Rutledge said the last distribution from the state included a $6,000 increase over March of last year, but when he contacted the state, he was told the amount the county will receive per wireless device may not be determined until May.
The next 911 meeting remains tentatively scheduled for 8 a.m. April 23.
mgreier@mojonews.com