Feasibility of stand-alone E-911 center explored
HUNTSVILLE — County Commissioners will meet in an informal session tonight (Thursday) with members of the E-911 Board of Directors as well as representatives from the state 911 Board.
The meeting gets underway at 6 p.m. at the Scott County Office Building to discuss the feasibility of establishing a stand-alone 911 Center or making the move to the new Justice Center complex once construction on that project is complete.
County Mayor Rick Keeton told members of the Building and Grounds Committee Monday night that the purpose of the meeting is: 1) To determine whether or not the 911 Center needs to stand alone; or, 2) If not, to determine where in the Justice Center should the 911 Center be located?
Scott County Sheriff Anthony Lay, a proponent of including the 911 Center in the new Justice Center, has suggested that the most secure place for it would be inside the control tower in the detention portion of the building.
But County Commissioner Willie Boyatt looks at that location a little differently. He asked Monday night what would happen if the jail inmates rioted, and somehow gained control of the combination monitoring station and dispatching center?
Boyatt said that could basically shut down 911, pointing out that if inmates gained access to the control station, then they would, in effect, have control of the entire facility.
Earlier Boyatt had posed another question. If the 911 dispatching is located in the control station in the jail, does that mean that 911 dispatcher would also become jailers?
Mayor Keeton responded by saying while there might be some cross-training involved, he felt “you would have to have a clear separation of duties” between the two positions.
As originally drawn, the 911 dispatching center would be located on the east side of the jail facility, according to Commissioner Odeva Byrd, who chairs the Building and Grounds Committee.
In other business Monday night, the Building and Grounds Committee approved a motion by Joel Newport to authorize the county mayor to obtain an estimate on the cost for an architect for a proposed library/meeting room facility for the Robbins Community Park located near the Robbins School.
That action came after Mayor Keeton and County Attorney John Beaty pointed out that the proposed facility would be constructed on county property and would cost in excess of $25,000, thus meeting the requirements that an architect be involved in the process.
Elmer Hughett has agreed to donated some $60,000 for the construction of the facility.
Mayor Keeton also asked the committee to consider whether or not it wants to continue with efforts to obtain an Appalachian Regional Commission (ARC) grant to create a craft center at the old Winfield School building.
He explained that the grant application is sitting in Washington, D.C. awaiting an appraisal of the building as well as an analysis of projected revenue from the proposed sale of crafts or other revenue-producing activities.
Mayor Keeton said such an appraisal and analysis would cost, at the very minimum, $1,500, and perhaps as much as $2,000.
No action was taken on that matter, and Fifth District Commissioner Paul Strunk pointed out that “the building is falling down.”
Also Monday night:
• The Community Development Committee heard an update on the CDBG and Rural Development funded sewer line extension projects; heard a report from Mayor Keeton on the status of the Boys and Girls Club management and ownership agreements with the Town of Oneida and officials of the club, as well as a pending bond sale which will generate some $1.25 million in funding; heard a report from Mayor Keeton concerning an improved county bond rating just released by Moody’s Investors Services (up from Baa3 to Baa2); Discussed the possibility of developing a comprehensive outdoor recreation plan for the county; and discussed the feasibility of applying for a 2008 T.R.I.P. Grant from the state to establishing a recreation director position;
• The Emergency Services Committee approved a motion by Willie Boyatt to table action on naming a replacement for Oneida Police Chief Mike Cross, who has asked not to be reappointed to a new term on the 911 Board; and, heard a report from Sheriff Anthony Lay concerning a recent inspection of the new jail facilities at the Scott County Justice Center, which included a recommendation that dispatching be moved to the jail control tower;
• The Intergovernmental Committee voted to approve a motion by Willie Boyatt to solicit bids for engineering services for infrastructure development on 50 acres of county property in the Airport Industrial Park. It was explained that the $401,550 project will be funded through a grant from the Appalachian Regional Commission (ARC); Voted to send to the full commission the county road list for 2008 as submitted by Road Supt. Dick Sexton; and, Approved a motion by Ron Blevins to allow County Attorney John Beaty to draft a quit claim deed to the Town of Oneida of a section of an old county road which has long been within the corporate limits of the Town of Oneida.