COLUMBIANA COUNTY PUCO answers the call to pay for all 911 service equipment

The county will receive more than $500,000 from the state for the equipment.
By D.A. WILKINSON
VINDICATOR SALEM BUREAU
LISBON -- Columbiana County will get full funding for the equipment needed to offer 911 service.
"This is kind of a nice surprise we got today," County Commissioner Gary Williams said Friday.
The county knew it could get about $400,000 from the state to buy the equipment.
The commissioners revised their estimate to cover the full cost of the equipment and submitted it to the Public Utilities Commission of Ohio.
Request, reply
The commissioners asked the PUCO for $545,734 in a letter dated June 18. The PUCO issued its ruling Wednesday.
Shana Gerber, assistant director of the PUCO, said the funds will be sent to the Ohio Department of Development and then to the county.
Columbiana County will have until June 30, 2006, to use the money.
Williams said the plan won't go into effect until late 2005.
Funding source
The PUCO said it had the money from a case involving Ameritech and its violations of minimum service standards and unreturned credits and other customer funds. Ameritech is now doing business in the state as SBC, the PUCO noted.
County voters agreed to pay a 50-cent monthly telephone surcharge to support the operation of the system. That isn't affected by the ruling, Williams said.
wilkinson@vindy.com