Minutes 05/13/1999 - Laserfiche WebLink

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THURSDAY, MAY 13, 1999 increase. Further discussion then occurred concerning the overall call activity, the City's share of costs, and the definition of calls for service. Vice Mayor Teague asked Mr. Ashley if he felt the formula for cost sharing was fair and Mr. Ashley replied that he could not say whether it was fair or not, only that he had to work with it. City Manager Earl Reynolds stated that it was important to consider that the center was established as the central contact point for all calls, emergency or not, especially after 5:00 p.m. He also noted that the long term operating costs would probably continue to climb, especially personnel costs. Council Member Roop stated that when the joint E-911 Center was formed neither the City, the County nor the two combined had enough 911 type emergency calls to justify a true 911 center, but that now all calls go through the joint Center. Mr. Reynolds noted that the revenue collected to support the costs of the Center was less than the actual payment to the Center, so the General Fund was having to subsidize these costs. Vice Mayor Teague then asked about the Capital costs requested. Mr. Ashley stated that the costs would provide for replacement of all the call equipment at the Center, which had all become obsolete and difficult to find parts for. Council Member Roop asked if the $204,000 cost shown was the total cost of the equipment upgrade and was told that it was only the cost for the equipment. Mr. Ashley stated that additional costs would include increasing annual maintenance costs from Sprint, at an increase of $6,464 per month over the current $3,100 per month cost, and annual maintenance costs that would rise from $46,525 to over $115,000 next year. Vice Mayor Teague asked what the current E-911 charge per line to customers was, and was told it is was $1.67, which does not cover actual cost of the service. Council next considered the budget request of the Virginia Museum of Natural History, as presented by Mr. Steve Pike, Museum Director. Mr. Pike began by stating that the VMNH contributes to the benefit of the Martinsville community in many ways, including quality of life, education, economic development and toudsm. He added that this contribution is of real value, and noted that the $25,000 to be spent on exhibits in the coming year would have a real value of $75,000 to $100,000. Mr. Pike then noted accomplishments which included major improvements in exhibits, collections, and educational outreach