LISBON — The Columbiana County Commissioners declared April 13 through April 19 as National Public Safety Telecommunicators Week to recognize the work of dispatchers, the unsung heroes of public safety.

“Public Safety Telecommunicators of Columbiana County have contributed substantially to the apprehension of criminals, suppression of fires and treatment of patients,” the proclamation said, noting that telecommunicators are “the single vital link for our police officers and firefighters by monitoring their activities by radio, providing them information and ensuring their safety.”

County Emergency Management Agency Deputy Director and 911 Coordinator Brian Rutledge was in the audience and thanked the commissioners for passing the proclamation. He talked about all the training the 911 dispatchers have to take and how it’s become quite a profession, but it’s tough to get people in the seats.

“No one really appreciates you until they need you,” Commissioner Mike Halleck said.

According to Rutledge, 911 operators in the county, who work out of five Public Safety Answering Points, answered more than 25,000 911 calls last year. He said there are 42 of the 911 dispatchers throughout the county at the five PSAP locations at the Sheriff’s Office and East Liverpool, Salem, Columbiana and East Palestine police departments.

In talking briefly about 911’s funding mechanism of a charge on wireless accounts, Halleck said he was disappointed with the state legislature not increasing the amount as much as locals wanted when there was a change. The amount is 40 cents per line, but county 911 only receives a percentage of that.

Commissioner Tim Ginter said Ohio is ranked 47th or 48th out of the 50 states when it comes to 911 funding, with the amount charged per line in West Virginia exponentially higher.

“I’m just astonished that they will not raise that amount,” he said, but noted the Ohio senate is talking about a possible increase to $1, but they’re far from getting to that.

In other business, the commissioners talked briefly about the Black Road water issue in Center Township and the junk yard problem in West Township, with solutions still being discussed.

Commissioners awarded the contract for the county’s 2025 bituminous material to Russell Standard Corp., Pittsburgh, Pa., for a bid of $1,986,430. Russell Standard was the lone bidder.

The commissioners also authorized the county engineer to participate in the Ohio Department of Transportation annual road salt contracts, which can help the county get a better price, and approved a permit to work within the county road right-of-way to MasTec North America Inc. for a fiber optic line installation on Fairfield School Road.

The commissioners’ next meeting will be 9 a.m. April 16 in the downtown courthouse.

mgreier@mojonews.com