Salem council tables issue of 911 call-taking

SALEM -- City council members are postponing discussion of whether the city's dispatching center should answer 911 calls.
Council met Monday to weigh the matter.
The meeting ended after a few minutes when lawmakers opted to delay talks until city administration officials and 911 planners can be present.
No date for such a meeting was set.
In October, council decided that the dispatching center would not be a 911 answering point, which was proposed by planners of an improved, countywide 911 system.
Some council members were concerned about possible hidden costs.
Voters have since approved a 50-cent monthly telephone surcharge to help fund the new system, prompting council members to revisit the answering-point issue.