LISBON — Columbiana County 911 Coordinator Brian Rutledge is asking residents, local and county officials and members of the county’s 911 committee to contact state legislators and urge an increase to the wireless fee, with Friday the deadline for any amendments to pending legislation.

In an email Tuesday, Rutledge, who also serves as the county’s Emergency Management Agency deputy director, gave an update regarding the upcoming fee legislation, noting there’s a push from several organizations opposing any increase to the fee.

He asked members to reach out to any state senator or representative to vote in favor of the increase.

“There are several amendments that have been presented with fee increases and it’s important that we continue to push for the passage of these amendments,” he wrote.

He included a copy of a letter from the Ohio Chamber of Commerce, Ohio Business Roundtable, Buckeye Institute, Cable Telecommunications Association and Americans for Prosperity in opposition of any increase, along with information he received from a Next Generation 911 advocacy group advocating for the increase and responding to claims that keeping the fee at 40 cents would give the state a surplus. Counties actually get shortchanged.

According to Rutledge, most of the 40 cents per line or device goes to the state, with the county only receiving a small portion.

During a county 911 committee meeting earlier this month, he updated committee members on the fee and said an amendment passed by the Ohio House of Representatives proposes to increase the fee to 60 cents and is now with the Ohio Senate where there’s talk of increasing it to $1.25 per line.

The unknown is how that money will be distributed to the counties, with talk about the new formula being based on call volume. If that happens, he said the counties share will gradually decrease over five years.

Both Rutledge and EMA Director Peggy Clark talked about other states around Ohio having a higher fee.

County 911 relies on the fees to fund equipment needed to operate the 911 system through the five Public Safety Answering Points (PSAPs). The five communities pay for the wages and benefits for the dispatchers.

The PSAPS include the Sheriff’s Office and the East Liverpool, Salem, East Palestine and Columbiana police departments.

mgreier@mojonews.com