08-06-2001 - Laserfiche WebLink

Commission Minutes--August 6, 2001 2320 ~ Chairman Meyer opened the public hearing and called three times for any comments from the audience. Since no one asked to address the board on the proposed extension of 911 fees to wireless service, the chairman declared the public hearing closed. Mr. Wieland informed the board that he recently traveled to nine other counties in the State, in his capacity as President of the North Dakota Association of Counties, and eight of them are holding public hearings today also, the ninth one already held their public hearing. He said it appears all nine of those counties are adopting resolutions to extend the 911 fee. MOTION, passed Mr. Wieland moved and Mr. Wagner seconded to adopt the following Resolution #2001-20 to extend the 911 fee to wireless service, as presented. On roll call vote, the motion carried unanimously. WIRELESS 911 FEE RESOLUTION #2001-20 WHEREAS, emergency 911 services are critical to the public safety; and WHEREAS, the percentage of 911 calls initiated through wireless communication devices is now approaching fifty percent in the State of North Dakota; and WHEREAS, wireless 911 calls do not provide the enhanced call-back and location information essential to efficient call management and increased public safety; and -- WHEREAS, the monthly 911 fee on traditional telephone exchange access service imposed pursuant to NDCC 57-40.6 is insufficient to implement enhanced 911 for wireless communication services and is unfair in its limited application to land line telephone service only; and WHEREAS, the 571h Legislative Assembly amended NDCC 57-40.6 to permit the extension of existing 911 fees to wireless communication service by governing board resolution; and WHEREAS, the nature of wireless communication service and the costs of implementing enhanced wireless 911 make it most cost-effective for all jurisdictions to jointly implement and therefore extend their local 911 fees in a coordinated manner. THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED that the Cass County Board of Commissioners extends the existing 911 fee on telephone exchange access service to wireless service, consistent with the requirements of federal and state law. IT IS FURTHER RESOLVED that this resolution shall be forwarded to all wireless service providers registered to operate in North Dakota, as notice that the fee shall be added to their monthly billings for all customers with a subscriber service address in this county as soon as practical after the adoption date of this resolution, but no later than October 1, 2001, and that the revenues shall be collected and remitted on a monthly basis to the County Treasurer with each provider retaining a portion of the revenues for their actual costs of fee administration pursuant to the limitations of NDCC 57-40.6-04. -- IT IS FURTHER RESOLVED that the County Treasurer shall create a separate Wireless 911 Fund and retain the revenues received pursuant to this resolution separately until such time as NDCC 57-40.6-05 allows them to be combined with all other 911 fee revenue.