Thursday, April 26, 2001
East Liverpool area residents have somewhere new to go for social services aid.
By NORMAN LEIGH
VINDICATOR SALEM BUREAU
LISBON -- Columbiana County remains one of the few counties in Ohio without 911 service, but commissioners are continuing their efforts to change that.
They hired a consultant Wednesday to advise the county on equipment needed in a 911 answering center.
William Staton and Associates of Coshocton will be paid about $5,000 to do the work.
Half the money will come as a grant from Gov. Bob Taft's office and the rest from the county's emergency management agency budget.
While Staton is doing his work, the county's 911 advisory committee will continue to examine other aspects of implementing a 911 service. Among their tasks is determining how many answering points there will be.
The committee must also decide how the county will pay for equipping and operating a 911 system.
Funding sources: The county is awaiting word from the Public Utilities Commission of Ohio on whether part of a $3.65 million state settlement with Ameritech will be used to help establish 911 in counties without the service.
The PUCO ruled in July that Ameritech violated state standards for service in 1998 and 1999.
Another funding possibility is a 50-cent surcharge on monthly telephone bills.
The fee would raise about $300,00 annually, but it must go to a public vote.
Way Station contract: Commissioners approved a contract between the county department of job and family services and a Columbiana organization to aid needy families and individuals in the East Liverpool area.
The two-month, $30,000 contract contains a one-year renewal option.
The federally funded effort would pay The Way Station to help people with basic needs such as food and shelter along with tutoring and substance abuse recovery counseling.
The Way Station at 629 Broadway can be reached at (330) 382-9893. A recording at that number doesn't state it's the Way Station, but the messages are checked, an agency official said.