911 Fee Increase - KXNet - Bismarck/Minot/Williston/Dickinson

911 Fee Increase

November's ballot in Minot will include a measure that would increase the fee paid on phone bills to fund the county's emergency 9-1-1 service.

The city-county-park-school liaison committee this week approved final language for the ballot that will request voters to OK an increase from one dollar, to a-dollar-fifty per month for 9-1-1 operations.
Minot Police Captain Robin White told the group he was happy with the new wording of the measure - that points out that even if the $1.50 fee is rejected, the one dollar fee will remain.
Captain White says operation costs for emergency services are rising quickly - along with the local population.

(Capt. Robin White, Minot Police) "The city police department, fire department, ambulance, all are busier than they were a few years ago and all those calls come through the dispatch center so they're extremely busy.  We need to increase staff, and those who are in there are under a lot of stress so we need to pay them a professional wage "

The request for an increase in the 9-1-1 fee will appear on the November ballot.