Agenda Item#__________
Columbus Consolidated Government
Council Meeting
June 10, 2008
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), and the $1.00 charge for
enhanced wireless 9-1-1 to continue per billable telephone for another year.
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.
Analysis: The attached resolution addresses compliance with Georgia law in that
it reaffirms the 9-1-1 and enhanced wireless 9-1-1 charges 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 $1,633,213 of revenue in FY2009.
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 $1,384,750 of revenue in FY2009.
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 necessity of the
$1.50 charge for 9-1-1, including VoIP connections and the $1.00 charge for
enhanced wireless 9-1-1 to continue per billable telephone for another year.
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
and
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.
NOW, THEREFORE, THE COUNCIL OF COLUMBUS, GEORGIA HEREBY RESOLVES:
Under the authority of O.C.G.A. ?46-5-134, the 9-1-1 charge for Columbus,
Georgia will remain at $1.50 per month per billable telephone and VoIP
connection for another year and the enhanced wireless 9-1-1 charge for
Columbus, Georgia will remain at $1.00 per month per billable wireless
communication. 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, 2008, and adopted at said meeting by the affirmative vote
of members of said council.
Councilor Allen voting
Councilor Anthony voting
Councilor Baker voting
Councilor Barnes voting
Councilor Davis voting
Councilor Henderson voting
Councilor Hunter voting
Councilor McDaniel voting
Councilor Pugh voting
Councilor Woodson voting
_________________
TINY B. WASHINGTON, CLERK JIM WETHERINGTON, MAYOR
Attachments
No attachments for this document.