Missouri’s 911 Directors Association is calling on local officials to let state lawmakers know the importance of doing something statewide about the 911 system and the declining funds for operation.  Taney County Presiding Commissioner Ron Houseman will be among the representatives of county, city, police, ambulance and fire agencies taking part in 911 Day at the state capitol on Tuesday.  Last year, an interim House committee was created to look at ways to update and improve Missouri’s emergency 911 systems.  Houseman says legislators are invited to hear what’s happening to local 911 entities, and why a statewide remedy is needed…

Ron Houseman 2012A096  

Locally, the 911 emergency system is funded by a fee on telephone land lines, but those funds are diminishing as more people move to exclusive use of cell phones. Missouri is the only state in the nation without a statewide fee for 911 service.  Houseman says the meeting at the capitol will also provide an opportunity to learn what other cities and counties are doing, and gather ideas on what might be done here. 

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Local emergency officials from across Missouri will spend Tuesday at the capitol in Jefferson City, sharing with state lawmakers the funding dilemma faced by 911 emergency systems.  The Missouri 911 Directors Association has asked representatives of 911 entities to share the problem with legislators.  Among them will be Taney County Presiding Commissioner Ron Houseman, who notes that an interim House committee was appointed…

Ron Houseman 2012A097    

The problem is that 911 funding comes from a fee on land phone lines, but with many people switching to cell phones, those revenues are diminishing.  Houseman says the fact that state lawmakers are looking at it is a big step forward.  He says it will also provide an opportunity to learn what other government entities are doing to help 911 service in their own areas. Missouri is the only state in the nation without a statewide fee for the 911 system.