In three weeks, Hillsdale County residents will vote on whether or not to bail the county's 911 emergency service out of its $120,000 debt by increasing the monthly surcharge for each taxpayer.
The Hillsdale City Council approved a ballot for the Feb. 24 special election during its Monday night meeting. The ballot asks its voters if the county should increase the rate from $1.20 to $3 a month. City Clerk Park Hayes said it's unlikely that the rate would go up that high, but an initial increase to $2.25 would help solve the problem.
Hayes said most counties in Michigan have a surcharge for 911 services. Hillsdale County had a $1.75 surcharge. However, Michigan legislature recently passed a law lowering the surcharge to $1.20. Because of this, the Hillsdale 911 service have been bleeding over $20,000 a month since Aug. 2008.
Voters will also decide whether or not the county levies an operational surcharge on all devices capable of calling 911, which includes cell phones, landlines and computers.
The council also renewed the city's annual contract with Domestic Harmony, a non-profit organization that provides shelter and counseling for domestic abuse victims. The city will give it $5,500 for the next year's operating costs.
Last year Domestic Harmony received more than 800 calls, 65 percent of which came from inside Hillsdale's city limits. The organization has maintained a contract with Hillsdale since 2000.
Finally, Karri Doty, president of the Hillsdale County Chamber of Commerce, presented an official visitor's guide to Hillsdale County. Doty said the guide can be found at 14 visitor centers throughout the state and online at www.hillsdalecountychamber.com.
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