911 SERVICE Lawrence County risks losing funding over noncompliance

The state could hold back nearly $800,000 from the county if Ellwood City doesn't comply.
By LAURE CIOFFI
VINDICATOR NEW CASTLE BUREAU
NEW CASTLE, Pa. -- Lawrence County is in danger of losing its state funding for 911 services because one community refuses to use the county's service.
A letter dated March 19 from Robert W. Foor, Pennsylvania 911 coordinator, said the county's arrangement with the Ellwood City Borough is a violation of state law.
Ellwood City officials have their own police dispatchers, and any 911 calls made from the borough are forwarded from the 911 center to borough dispatchers.
Foor's letter states that Ellwood City's dispatchers are not trained or certified as required by state code.
State emergency officials have threatened to take away the nearly $800,000 the county receives from the $1.25 per month surcharge on each telephone line in the county if the problem isn't rectified in the next few months.
According to Foor's letter, the state will stop forwarding the surcharge in three months if the matter isn't resolved, and stop collecting the surcharge altogether in four months if nothing is done.
Seeking help: Lawrence County Commissioner Roger DeCarbo said he has written Foor a letter asking for help.
"There is a history with Ellwood City and trying to get them to comply. Now I'm looking for some teeth to make it happen," DeCarbo said.
The commissioner said he is unsure what action the county can take to force Ellwood City to use the 911 service.
Ellwood City Borough Council President George Celli said dispatching service has been a hot topic among council members. Some want to keep local dispatchers and others want to go with county 911 service.
"As of right now the majority of council wants to keep the dispatchers. They do more than dispatching," he said. Some other duties include paperwork and assisting police with office work, he said.
"We have good dispatchers. Sometimes 911 gets confused and they call our dispatchers for directions," Celli added.
Frank Janetti, Lawrence County 911 director, said they hope to meet soon with Ellwood City officials to resolve the matter.