By J. Brian Ewing, News & Record
Original publication date:  June 28, 2011

Wentworth, N.C. – It took nearly two months of negotiations but Rockingham County appears on its way to consolidating 911 operations. County commissioners approved an agreement Monday night to consolidate the Eden and Reidsville 911 centers with their own.

The county will now move forward with applying for several million dollars in state grants to fund the initial costs of consolidation. The exact amount has not been determined, but officials expect the money to cover the first three years of operations, including a new building to house the center.

After that, Eden and Reidsville would pay up to $38,000 per year. The county would continue to pay about $1.19 million. If costs increased or state funding dwindled the difference would be split, the county paying 70 percent and Eden and Reidsville sharing 30 percent.

The cities’ stances today are a big change from where they stood in May. Their respective city managers sent a letter to the county saying neither city felt their taxpayers should take on any cost of the merged system.

“It still works out to be a cheaper deal for them,” Commissioner Keith “Zero” Mabe said.

Reidsville Mayor James Festerman said the cities just needed a clearer picture of what the costs might be and what exactly the state was mandating.

“I’m not sure it’s a change of heart exactly,” Festerman said. “It seems like the best deal we could expect at this point.”

Major shifts in state mandates for 911 centers prompted the county to look into consolidating. Until now, the state had no standards for 911 operations.

Some of the new state mandates go into effect next year, and by 2013 all 911 centers must have at least two dispatchers working each shift. Meeting that standard would effectively double the personnel costs for Eden and Reidsville.

Most 911 operational costs are paid for through what essentially is a phone tax. However, the county or city pay personnel costs.

The county’s 911 center dispatches all volunteer fire and rescue departments and the sheriff’s office, including calls from the towns of Wentworth, Madison, Mayodan and Stoneville. Mayodan employs a dispatcher for its police department, but those 911 calls come to the county first.

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