With the economy still trying to find its footing, Monroe County E-911 Director Clara Hitson declined a raise for herself and only added $40,000 to the overall budget for the office in the upcoming 2009-10 fiscal year.

The 911 Center operated on expenses of $660,700 this year. That number will increase to $700,700 in 2009-10. The extra $40,000 will come from an expected increase in surcharges from wireless phone bills.

"We've had a slight increase in longevity raises," Hitson told the 911 Board Thursday night. "I would like to see more done for the dispatchers, but I know this isn't a good time for something like that. But some do get the longevity raises and they've earned them."
The budget for dispatcher salaries increased a little less than $32,000, going from $245,000 last year to $276,700 this year.

"We pay our dispatchers less than surrounding counties," Hitson said. "It's not a huge gap, but there is a difference."
Hitson said dispatchers in Monroe County start out at $10 an hour and top out at $11.50 an hour, though they do become eligible for longevity/cost of living increases after seven years.

Hitson also asked for $9,000 to cover utility costs, an increase over the $6,400 asked for last year.
"You know how it went with utility boards and their rate increases recently," she said. "That ($6,400) didn't even begin to cover the cost of running this place."

There was a 5.6 percent decrease in health insurance costs, allowing the board to approve short-term disability income benefits with the North American Benefits Company. This plan costs the center $864 a year per employee, covering 12 employees, and pays employees 60 percent of their paycheck per week, up to $200, for 24 weeks due to any short term work missed.

The bulk of the 911 center's operating budget, $380,000, comes from surcharges on landline phones and cell phones. But the Center also receives $110,000 from Monroe County, $70,700 from Sweetwater, $65,000 from Madisonville, $20,000 from Vonore and $15,000 from Tellico Plains. The Center will also receive $40,000 in mapping and dispatcher grants.

As for the previous fiscal year, Board Accountant Peggy Hicks said the Center was in good shape.
"We had certain areas, such as maintenance and repair," she said, "that saved us money because we didn't buy new equipment. But we spent more than planned on office supplies and there was some overtime. We just need to amend the budget, move some money around and we're fine. We actually have some money left over."

The board voted unanimously to amend the old budget and to accept the new one.
In other business, the board voted to let Attorney Doris Matthews write a letter letting the various towns in Monroe County know what can happen if they don't pay money owed to the 911 Center.
"I have been told by the TBI," Hitson said, "that if a town becomes delinquent on their payments, we can cut off access to our 10/28 and 10/29 codes (police speak for finding if a car has been reported stolen or if someone has active warrants on them).

"But this recent switch from analog signals to digital ones will free up a lot of bandwidth," Hitson added. "If a town wants to run its own 911 system, they can give it a shot."

michael.thomason@advocateanddemocrat.com | 442-4575