HomeMy WebLinkAboutResolution 2741
A Resolution
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URGING THE TARRANT COUNTY 911 BOARD OF DIRECTORS TO ADOPT A POLICY TO
PARTIALLY REIMBURSE PARTICIPATING LOCAL GOVERNMENTS, INCLUDING
THE CITY OF FORT WORTH, FOR CALL TAKER EXPENSES
WHEREAS, in the cities and the unincorporated areas of Tarrant County in Irving and in Grand Prairie, 911
services are coordinated by an Emergency Communication District called the Tarrant County 911 District
established by the voters pursuant to state law under Subchapter C, Chapter 772 of the Health and Safety
Code and
WHEREAS, one of the essential components of the 911 system that is coordinated by the local 911 District
are the call centers which are staffed, operated and funded by each local government that participates m the
district; and
WHEREAS, in Fort Worth, for instance, the City pays over $2 0 million out of the general fund to hire,
manage, and maintain a capable staff to answer the 911 calls coming into the City s call center and
WHEREAS, the state law establishing the local 911 district contains a provision that states that Allowable
operating expenses of a district include all costs attributable to designing a 911 system and to all equipment
and personnel necessary to establish and operate a public safety answering point and other related answering
points that the board considers necessary" and
WHEREAS, this provision legally means that personnel costs needed to operate a call center or public
safety answering point are allowable expenses under state law and as such provides the legal authority for the
local 911 district to expend funds to cover the cost of call centers operated by member cities and the county
and
WHEREAS this provision relating to allowable operating expenses" in state law is identical to provisions
governing the Bexar County 911 District and the Greater Harris County Emergency Network, both which
provide partial reimbursement to cities for call taker expenses, and
WHEREAS the City of Fort Worth has proposed at the June 17 2001 meeting of the Tarrant County 911
Board of Directors meeting that the 911 District develop a policy to reimburse Fort Worth, the County and
other cities located within the District's jurisdiction for part of the costs associated with staffing the call
centers m each of the cities and County and
WHEREAS, the local 911 district can implement such a pol~.cy by imposing a .5 percent increase in the 911 fee
base which translates to a 5 cent increase in the monthly local residential 911 fee and use the resulting yearly
revenues of over $1 million to partially reimburse participating local governments for call taker expenses
incurred without harming the financial integrity of the local 911 system and
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WHEREAS, it is understood that the local 911District cannot absorb all of the call taker expenses incurred
by the participating local governments through its fee base, however the Tarrant County 911 District should
share through a reimbursement policy in these legally allowable costs.
NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED, BY THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF FORT
WORTH, TEXAS
1 That the Fort Worth City Council urges the Board of Directors of the Tarrant County 911 District at
the July 2001 meeting of the Board to vote to implement a policy to partially reimburse all
participating local governments for call taker expenses incurred including raising the 911 fee base
and using the resulting revenues to implement the reimbursement pol~cy• and
2 That the Fort Worth City Council supports immediate .implementation of a reimbursement policy and
increase in the fee base as the District is required to give 90 days notice to the affected
telecommunications companies before the fee increase can be effective and
3 That the Fort Worth City Council supports immediate implementation of the reimbursement policy
by the Tarrant County 911 Distict as the City is approaching the beginning of its budget year and the
City Council needs to plan for other pressing needs that can be addressed by any funds reimbursed
including the replacement of the City's aging emergency siren system
Adopted this 26th day of June 2001
Mayor Kenneth Barr