Smaller subdivisions say yes to enhanced 911 system

Salem is the only city in Columbiana County that has not approved the plan.
By D.A. WILKINSON
VINDICATOR SALEM BUREAU
LISBON -- Small subdivisions in Columbiana County ultimately passed the new countywide enhanced 911 system.
County Commissioner Gary Williams, who has been overseeing the project, said Wednesday morning, "I think we have approval of our final plan."
Salem, the only city in the county that hasn't approved the plan, was to discuss it at a committee-of-the-whole meeting late Wednesday.
Council could not vote on the proposal at the meeting. Some Salem officials have favored having one central answering center for all calls.
The plan as passed calls for five answering sites in the county: Salem, East Liverpool, Columbiana, East Palestine and the county sheriff's office.
Williams said the trustees from Yellow Creek, Liverpool, Butler and Knox Townships had approved the plan.
The governing bodies of the subdivisions that represent 60 percent of the population, or 67,245 of the county's 112,075 residents,.must approve it..
The townships pushed the approval total to 71,284 people.
"That's all we need. We have 60 percent," Williams said. "It finalizes the plan for all intents and purposes."
Some have yet to vote
Some townships and villages still haven't voted. Williams said he and Robert Emmons, the director of the program, will continue to meet with local governments.
"We want to hear from everyone," Williams said. "Yea or nay."
The commissioners had hoped for early and fast approval, but a deadline for voting came and went. The deadline to vote was pushed back to later this month.
Fees that voters agreed to have charged to land and cell phones will pay for the equipment that will show the location of the caller. But the cities or the county will pay for the dispatchers.
County voters rejected Tuesday a 0.5-percent sales tax, which will reduce county revenue in 2006.
Williams and Commissioner Jim Hoppel don't want to enact the tax.
Commissioner Sean Logan said that his position since 2000 is that the tax should be enacted only as a last resort.
There have been layoffs in the sheriff's office and other departments in the county's struggle for money. Williams said he favored making sure enough money was available for dispatchers at the sheriff's office.
wilkinson@vindy.com