LAS VEGAS (KTNV) — Clark County is moving forward with plans to implement a surcharge to help pay for upgraded 911 systems.
We first told you about this proposal last December, when first responders asked county commissioners for their approval to start the process. Now, commissioners have unanimously approved a proposed five-year master plan to get the ball rolling.
According to state law and the plan, the maximum charge is $1 per phone line per month. That includes cell phones, landlines, and Voice over Internet Protocol, or VoIP, lines. Proponents point out that similar surcharges are already in place in Washoe, Carson and Humboldt counties.
When pitching the idea to commissioners, Clark County Fire Chief Billy Samuels argued the current 911 system is too vulnerable to outages. You may remember that last December, an incident in Missouri impacted 911 systems here in Clark County. Samuels told the commissioners that has happened at least two more times over the past year.
"The analog system can be affected in different parts of the country," Samuels said. "Most recently, an occurrence happened with the system in Sandy Valley [in October]."
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The upgraded NextGen system would not only combat that issue, it would also improve the information dispatchers get when someone calls 911, Samuels and other first responders argue.
Samuels said the new system would let callers send text messages and videos to dispatchers, for one. It would also more accurately pinpoint the caller's location, he said.
"Probably one of the more important things in our valley: It has a Z axis, which means it can go vertical," Samuels told commissioners. "
We know exactly where these people are calling from elevated locations, like our high rises."
So, how would the charge work?
According to the master plan, the surcharges would be collected based on the location of a phone customer's billing address. If you live in Clark County, your phone service provider would add the 911 surcharge to your bill, then transfer the money directly to Clark County.
"Since visitors and many short-term workers may not have a billing address in the county, 911 surcharges would not apply to those phones," the plan clarifies.
Commissioner Jim Gibson questioned what systems would be put in place so that commissioners and ratepayers can keep tabs on how surcharge money is being used.
"We want to know that, in due course, say for instance, $10 a landline — how much of that is really required?" Gibson said. "It's something you'll come back and help us understand. I think it's really important for us to help the ratepayer understand why."
Samuels said the project's advisory committee will "advise where those monies will go. The board would have the authority to say yes, we approve that project, or no."
What happens next?
Samuels says first responders are developing an ordinance that outlines the elements of the surcharge and establishes the committee.
"[We're] also doing a business impact statement. The constituents will have their opportunity to give their replies on it, as well," Samuels said. "We're going to come back here sometime in December or early January and give those impacts and where we're actually at."
You can read the full master plan below: