POLITICS

Vermont House orders state to keep taking 911 calls

April McCullum
Free Press Staff Writer
Dispatcher Howard Alden works in the call center at the Lamoille County Sheriff's Department in Hyde Park on Sept. 3, 2013. The department is one of several local and regional agencies that answer about one-quarter of Vermont's 911 calls, while the Department of Public Safety handles the rest.

MONTPELIER - The House of Representatives jumped into a scuffle over the state's 911 system on Tuesday by ordering the state to continue answering calls until the emergency call system is evaluated.

The action, which was adopted into a telecommunications bill by a vote of 137-1, came about one week after a public budget fight between 911 officials and the Department of Public Safety.

The Enhanced 911 Board warned the public that the department wanted to shift responsibility for answering 911 calls, while Gov. Peter Shumlin's administration downplayed the idea and said no decision had been made.

The House bill would require the state Department of Public Safety, which currently answers about three-quarters of Vermont's 911 calls, to continue doing so unless the Legislature decides on a new plan.

Meanwhile, the bill would create a working group to study 911 call-taking. The group would include representatives from the Enhanced 911 Board, the Department of Public Safety, the state employees union, the Vermont Association of Chiefs of Police and others.

"This is a good, prudent approach, making sure that this discussion happens," said Rep. Michael Marcotte, R-Coventry, "that we either approve of the system that we have now or enhance it to make it better."

A spokesman for the Department of Public Safety referred questions to Administration Secretary Justin Johnson.

Johnson said Vermont needs to continue talking about the best options for providing 911 service. Every agency that answers 911 calls loses money, Johnson said, and the current system is unsustainable.

The bill requests any recommendations for changing the 911 system structure be submitted by January 2017.

Contact April Burbank at 802-660-1863 or aburbank@freepressmedia.com. Follow her on Twitter at www.twitter.com/AprilBurbank.