911 funding system could go to voters in November

Five years after Columbia Falls, Whitefish and Kalispell joined Flathead County to create a consolidated 911 dispatch and communications system, a funding mechanism for the system with a 20-year outlook could be going to the voters this year.

A key provision in the 2009 interlocal agreement called for creation of a committee within three months to look at funding mechanisms, but the recent economic recession stayed the idea of a voted mill levy.

Meanwhile, funding continued to rely on a countywide 6 mill sheriff’s levy that covered about two-thirds of the 911 system’s overall cost, with the remainder picked up by the three cities. The 911 system also receives about $625,000 from a $1 monthly fee on telephone bills.

The current system is considered unfair by the cities, whose residents pay the 6 mill levy on top of city taxes that make up the shortfall. The current system also doesn’t provide for important capital improvement needs related to expensive digital radio systems.

The 911 funding committee studied five funding options: 1) a new voted mill levy; 2) vehicle license surcharges; 3) charging rural fire districts, federal, state or local agencies, and private emergency providers a new per-call fee; 4) creating a special emergency communications district; and 5) continuing the status quo.

With the backing of the three Flathead County Commissioners, the 911 funding committee has proposed a hybrid funding mechanism that would continue using the 6 mill levy and create a countywide special emergency communications district. The plan is expected to not only cover all operational costs but contribute about $500,000 per year for capital improvement needs over the next 20 years.

The special emergency communications district would annually collect a $25 flat fee for every residential property and $50 per commercial unit. The idea of a commercial unit recognizes that some properties generate more emergency calls — a large hotel versus a small insurance office, or a lube oil business versus a large timber mill. The maximum charge per commercial business would be 30 units, or $1,500.

The county commissioners want to place the question of creating a countywide special emergency communications district on the Nov. 4 ballot.

Columbia Falls city manager Susan Nicosia told the city council at their May 19 meeting that a meeting will be held on June 11 to decide how to proceed with this funding proposal.

“This is a complicated issue to explain to voters,” Nicosia said. “It’s not a straightforward savings for everyone.”

Nicosia noted that during earlier talks, the county commissioners said they wanted the cities to refund to taxpayers the money that had gone to the 911 system if a countywide mill levy was created. Columbia Falls’ share has been about $108,000 per year, but Nicosia suggested a better use for that money would be to fix streets or sidewalks, not a tax rebate.

“I don’t believe that matter should be included in the November ballot issue,” she said.

Councilor Dave Petersen said he was concerned that he was expected to vote on this without fully understanding it. The definition of a commercial unit seemed vague, he said, and he didn’t want the new fee to hurt “the little guy.”

Nicosia said the fee system was based on the same database used by the Flathead County Solid Waste District but tweaked to reflect emergency calls instead of garbage.

“The solid waste database is constantly being tweaked,” she said. “I can’t guarantee that this proposal will be completely accurate, but we’re trying to be equitable, and we think this hybrid approach is, compared to the existing mill levy.”

Councilor Mike Shepard, who sat on the 911 Board for many years, said he had always wanted the system funded on a per-call basis. He noted that Columbia Falls generates a much lower per-capita call rate than the other cities.

“Basically, we subsidize the county residents,” he said.