Agenda Item#__________
Columbus Consolidated Government
Council Meeting
June 10, 2014
Agenda Report#_______
TO: Mayor and Councilors
SUBJECT: 9-1-1 charges
INITIATED BY: Finance Department
________________________________________________________________________________
________________________
Recommendation: Approve a resolution reaffirming the $1.50 charge for 9-1-1,
including Voice Over Internet Protocol (VoIP), the $1.00 charge for enhanced
wireless 9-1-1 to continue per billable telephone for another year, and the
$0.75 charge for 9-1-1 per retail transaction for prepaid wireless services.
Background: O.C.G.A. ?46-5-134 states that the local government operating or
contracting for the operation of a 9-1-1 and enhanced wireless 9-1-1 system is
to reaffirm ?by resolution? on an annual basis the amount of the surcharge.
The ?9-1-1? and the enhanced wireless ?9-1-1? charges collected by the service
supplier shall be deposited and accounted for in a separate restricted revenue
fund known as the Emergency Telephone System Fund.
On December 18, 2007, Columbus Consolidated Government authorized by resolution
the $1.50 9-1-1 charge to include Voice Over Internet Protocol (VoIP)
connection subscribed to by persons whose billing address is within Muscogee
County, Georgia based on Georgia law, O.C.G.A. ?46-5-133 which states that
authorized local governments are authorized to charge up to a maximum of $1.50
per billable telephone per month upon each telephone service subscribed to by
telephone subscribers whose exchange access lines are in the areas served or
which would be served by the 9-1-1 service.
O.C.G.A. ?46-5-121 states that the local government operating or contracting
for the operation of a 9-1-1 and enhanced wireless 9-1-1 system is to reaffirm
?by resolution? on an annual basis the amount of the surcharge.
The ?9-1-1? and the enhanced wireless ?9-1-1? charges collected by the service
supplier shall be deposited and accounted for in a separate restricted revenue
fund known as the Emergency Telephone System Fund.
Analysis: The attached resolution addresses compliance with Georgia law in that
it reaffirms the 9-1-1, enhanced wireless 9-1-1 charges, and prepaid wireless
services for another year and authorizes use of a separate fund known as the
Emergency System Telephone Fund.
Financial Considerations: The 9-1-1 funds may be expended for the lease,
purchase or maintenance of telephone equipment, costs associated with the 9-1-1
service supplier including recurring charges, salaries for 9-1-1 personnel,
office supplies for public safety answering points, and the cost of leasing or
purchasing a building used as a public safety answering point. The surcharge is
expected to provide $1,250,000 of revenue in FY2015.
The enhanced wireless 9-1-1 funds may be used to pay the nonrecurring and
recurring installation, maintenance, service, and network charges of a wireless
service supplier which are associated with providing automatic number
identification of a wireless telecommunications connection and the location of
the base station or cell site which receives a ?9-1-1? call from a wireless
telecommunications connection. Thirty cents of the enhanced wireless 9-1-1
charge shall be deposited in a restricted reserve account of the Emergency
Telephone phone designated as the Wireless Phase II Reserve Account to pay the
nonrecurring and recurring installation, maintenance, service, and network
charges of a wireless service supplier which are associated with providing
automatic number identification and automatic location identification of a
wireless telecommunications connection. The enhanced wireless 9-1-1 surcharge
is expected to provide $1,300,000 of revenue in FY2015.
Legal Considerations: O.C.G.A. ?46-5-134 states that the local government
operating or contracting for the operation of a 9-1-1 system and enhanced
wireless 9-1-1 system is to reaffirm ?by resolution? on an annual basis the
surcharge.
Recommendations/Actions: Approve a resolution reaffirming the $1.50 charge for
9-1-1, including Voice Over Internet Protocol (VoIP), the $1.00 charge for
enhanced wireless 9-1-1 to continue per billable telephone for another year,
and the $0.75 charge for 9-1-1 per retail transaction for prepaid wireless
services.
A RESOLUTION
NO._________
WHEREAS, the General Assembly of the State of Georgia through the passage of
House Bill 1422 signed by the Governor and placed in effect on March 20, 1990
authorized local governments to modify 9-1-1 charges up to a maximum of $1.50
per billable telephone per month, upon each telephone service subscribed to by
telephone subscribers whose exchange access lines are in the areas served or
which would be served by the 9-1-1 service as stipulated by O.C.G.A. ?46-5-133;
WHEREAS, a general vote or public hearing is not required for a modification of
the charge. All governments operating a 9-1-1 system prior to March 7, 1988
are exempt from these requirements; and
WHEREAS, Part 4 of Article 2 of Chapter 5 of Title 46 of the Official Code of
Georgia Annotated, as amended by Act No. 881, Georgia Laws 1998, authorizes
local governments to impose a wireless enhanced 9-1-1 charge upon each wireless
telecommunications connection subscribed to by subscribers whose billing
address is within the jurisdiction of the local government; and
WHEREAS, the Council of Columbus, Georgia adopted Resolution No. 402-98,
effective November 12, 1998, imposing a monthly wireless enhanced 9-1-1 charge
of $1.00 upon each wireless telecommunications connection subscribed to by
telephone subscribers whose billing address is within the jurisdiction of the
Columbus Consolidated Government; and
WHEREAS, the Council of Columbus, Georgia is required to pass a resolution on
an annual basis determining and authorizing a monthly 9-1-1 and wireless
enhanced 9-1-1 charge; and
WHEREAS, O.C.G.A. ?46-5-134 requires that charges collected be deposited in a
restricted revenue fund known as the Emergency Telephone Fund; and
WHEREAS, the 9-1-1 funds may be expended for the lease, purchase or maintenance
of telephone equipment, cost associated with the 9-1-1 service supplier to
include recurring charges, salaries for 9-1-1 personnel, office supplies for
public safety answering points, and the cost of leasing or purchasing a
building used as a public safety answering point; and
WHEREAS, the enhanced wireless 9-1-1 funds may be used to pay the nonrecurring
and recurring installation, maintenance, service, and network charges of a
wireless service supplier which are associated with providing automatic number
identification of a wireless telecommunications connection and the location of
the base station or cell site which receives a ?9-1-1? call from a wireless
telecommunications connection. Thirty cents of the enhanced wireless 9-1-1
charge shall be deposited in a restricted reserve account of the Emergency
Telephone phone designated as the Wireless Phase II Reserve Account to pay the
nonrecurring and recurring installation, maintenance, service, and network
charges of a wireless service supplier which are associated with providing
automatic number identification and automatic location identification of a
wireless telecommunications connection; and
WHEREAS, each service supplier collecting 9-1-1 charges on behalf of the local
government is entitled to retain an administrative fee equal to 3% of the gross
9-1-1 charge receipts. The remaining funds will be due quarterly to the local
government; and
WHEREAS, the 9-1-1 charge may be reduced at any time by resolution and must be
reduced if accumulated revenue exceed by one and one-half the unexpended funds
in the preceding fiscal year. This reduction must be in an amount that will
avert the accumulation of funds that exceed one and one-half of the unexpended
funds in the preceding fiscal year.
WHEREAS, the General Assembly of the State of Georgia has enacted legislation
authorizing each county and municipality operating a public safety answering
point to impose a prepaid wireless 9-1-1 charge; and
WHEREAS, the General Assembly of the State of Georgia has each such county and
municipality to impose a prepaid wireless fee at a rate not to exceed 75 cents
per retail transaction; and
WHEREAS, imposition of the prepaid wireless fee authorized by O.C.G.A.
?46-5-134.2 is contingent upon the enactment of the prepaid wireless charge by
ordinance or resolution by the county or municipality; and
WHEREAS, the Council of Columbus, Georgia adopted Resolution No. 216-11
on July 21, 2011, effective January 1, 2012, imposing a monthly wireless
enhanced 9-1-1 charge of $1.00 upon each wireless telecommunications connection
subscribed to by telephone subscribers whose billing address is within the
jurisdiction of the Columbus Consolidated Government.
NOW, THEREFORE, THE COUNCIL OF COLUMBUS, GEORGIA HEREBY RESOLVES:
Under the authority of O.C.G.A. ?46-5-134 and 46-5-134.2, the 9-1-1 charge for
Columbus, Georgia will remain at $1.50 per month per billable telephone and
VoIP connection for another year, the enhanced wireless 9-1-1 charge for
Columbus, Georgia will remain at $1.00 per month per billable wireless
communication, and the prepaid wireless 9-1-1 charge will remain at $0.75 per
retail transaction for Muscogee County, and Chattahoochee County, Georgia. An
Emergency Telephone Fund has been established for 9-1-1 charges.
__________________
Introduced at a regular meeting of the Council of Columbus, Georgia, held on
the 10th day of June, 2014, and adopted at said meeting by the affirmative vote
of members of said council.
Councilor Allen voting___.
Councilor Baker voting___.
Councilor Barnes voting__________.
Councilor Davis voting___.
Councilor Henderson voting_______.
Councilor Huff voting____________.
Councilor McDaniel voting________.
Councilor Thomas voting__________.
Councilor Pugh voting___________.
Councilor Woodson voting_________.
______________________________ _____________________________
TINY B. WASHINGTON TERESA PIKE TOMLINSON
CLERK MAYOR
Attachments
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