JASPER, Tenn. - Members of the Jasper Board of Mayor and Aldermen recently questioned the need for an $8,000 increase for Marion County's dispatching service and said they wanted someone to explain why it was mandated.
County Mayor David Jackson has provided that explanation.
Jackson said the county's 11 full-time dispatchers work 84 hours every two-week pay period and get eight of those hours as overtime.
County sheriff's deputies, on the other hand, typically work the same 84 hours during those two weeks, he said, but only get overtime if they work more than that because they are classified differently.
"We have to pay them [the dispatchers] overtime," Jackson said. "That's the reason for the increase - to try to help cover the overtime."
Marion's four largest cities - Jasper, Kimball, South Pittsburg and Whitwell - each pay $50,000 per year for the centralized dispatching service.
The much smaller towns of Powells Crossroads and New Hope pay $5,000 each annually.
Jackson said he and Sheriff Ronnie "Bo" Burnett met early this year to discuss an increase in those fees.
"There's not been an increase [before]," Jackson said. "I want to emphasize that. This is the first time. We don't see this being a yearly thing or a five-year thing. We may not do it again for another 10 years. It just really depends on expenses. Costs have gone up as well."
An $8,000 increase to the annual fee was mandated for the four largest cities, while the two smaller ones each will get a $1,000 escalation.
The fee hike will bring in $34,000 in additional revenue for the county's dispatching service during the next fiscal year.
Earlier this month, Jasper Alderman Paul West said a county employee told him the maps in the computer system used in the county's 911 calls haven't been updated in 12 years, and that money was appropriated years ago through Marion's 911 service to post addresses on the front of many businesses and residences, but it was never done.
"They're spending a lot of money on other stuff, but some of the main things it should be spent on [they aren't]," he said. "That's what this employee was telling me. They've spent a lot of money on gee-whiz items."
Jackson said none of those claims were true, and there is a "misconception" among some city officials.
"911 and dispatching are two different things," he said. "911 is the phone system. We just happened to include the dispatching and the phone system in the same building."
Jackson added that the county's 911 board controls the emergency phone system, while emergency dispatching is under Burnett's direction.
Ryan Lewis is based in Marion County. Contact him at ryanlewis34@gmail.com.