City joins new 911 Emergency Services District

The Cameron City Council agreed to join the Central Texas Regional 911 Emergency Communications Department and OK’d raising garbage prices during a meeting Monday night.

The council heard from Jim Reed with the Central Texas Council of Governements about the 911 funding change.

Reed said that right now every citizen pays 50 cents for a 911 service fee for every phone line you own and that fee is collected by the phone companies and remitted to the Texas Comptroller. That fee goes into an account to be used for 911 purposes.

Reed said the legislature then decides what comes back to area governments for use at whatever rate they set.

“Where we find ourselves today is the state has found itself in a $26 million hole in that account and their solution is to take it back from the appropriation that we get,” Reed said. “So we can either take the $2.1 million cut over the next two years or we are allowed via statute to become our own 911 communications district. The only thing it changes it where the money goes. It will now come to the Council of Governments.”

Reed said they believe it is time to become a district for more local control. The fee it will always be 50 cents unless the state legislature changes that.

Reed said he is beginning to ask all 38 entities in the COG to sign a resolution to become a 911 Communications District. As soon as all those resolutions are signed the district will be created.

Reed said there will be no change for the next two to four years, but there are things that can be done with that money for 911 purposes as a 911 district.

The council also approved a price increase for garbage services due to rising costs from Waste Connections. Residential cost will now be $18.04 and commercial cost will be $23.67.

In other action the council also: approved an interlocal agreement with The Central Texas Council of Governments to administer EDA grants; appointed Marcie Kenney and Ruth Holt to the Cameron Housing Authority; approved an audit engagement letter; and approved an agreement with Grantworks for BRIC grant.