[TrunkCom] Monroe County, Mich., delays emergency system vote

[Ron Wilbanks]

MONROE - Much to the surprise of many of its members, the Monroe County 
Commission last night postponed a decision on whether to ask voters to 
help pay for a new emergency communications system for the county.

"When I walked in the door tonight, I was prepared to support this," 
Commissioner Bill Sisk said.

But Mr. Sisk and most of the other commissioners changed their minds as 
the discussion on the subject wore on.

Commissioners were faced with asking voters to approve a telephone 
surcharge of up to 16 percent for five years to pay off $3.3 million the 
county borrowed for its share of the $9.3 million project.

In 2002, county commissioners voted to join the state-owned 
communications system, which already is in use by the Michigan State 
Police and is considered a significant improvement over the county's 
present 50-year-old analog system.

In September, the commissioners voted to work with Motorola on enhancing 
the state's 800 megahertz emergency radio system that would help it 
function everywhere in the county. A month later, the county was awarded 
a $6 million grant by the Federal Emergency Management Agency as part of 
the country's homeland security program.

Monroe County was the state's only applicant. The county received one of 
14 grants awarded nationwide by FEMA to aid local emergency officials in 
upgrading their equipment.

The county, which has one year to upgrade its system, is five months 
into the project.

Last night, some of the commissioners said they are uncomfortable taking 
another initiative to taxpayers that will cost them money when the 
economy is still struggling.

"At what point to we say enough is enough," Commissioner Jerry Oley said.

Commissioner Pearl Albert-Green said Saturday's resounding defeat of a 
school bond issue is a signal voters are in no mood to approve any 
surcharges or tax increases. She also said the 16 percent surcharge 
ceiling is too high and needed to be reduced to a fixed figure that 
voters might tolerate. "When they look at that, it will say 16 percent 
and it will be turned down 2 to 1 or 3 to 1," she said.

County Administrator Charles Londo said the commission has budgeted 
$750,000 toward the project this year. If the commissioners do not 
approve a county vote on the issue, the county will have to cover the 
cost of the loan and interest.

The commissioners will address the issue at its March 22 meeting. It has 
to be approved by early April to be placed on the August ballot.

In other business, the commissioners rescinded their decision of last 
month to pay for health care benefits for the county's three road 
commissioners.

A number of the commissioners said they believe the road commissioners 
will pocket the cash as a salary raise rather then use the money for 
their health care costs.

Several road commission employees spoke out against the proposal, saying 
they had their health care benefits reduced after their last contract 
and that it would not be fair for the road commissioners, working in a 
part-time position, to have their coverage paid for by the county 
commission.

http://www.toledoblade.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20040310/NEWS17/103100166/-1/NEWS



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