E911 moving unless Selma comes up with an alternative

Published 12:00 am Tuesday, June 24, 2003

One thing is certain &045;&045; Enhanced 911 (E911) will move its communications center.

At the Selma City Council’s Monday meeting, Selma Mayor James Perkins Jr. said he hadn’t yet received a response from E911 Chairman Steve Tidwell concerning an arrangement between Selma and the E911 board.

The E911 board voted in March to relocate its communications center from Franklin Street to 311 Dallas Ave.

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According to Dallas County Emergency Management Agency Director Brett Howard, the board wanted to see if the council took action on the issue at Monday’s meeting.

Council President George Evans said the council wouldn’t take action because its committee hadn’t given a report yet. Councilman B.L. Tucker, though, said the council should vote Monday night; Councilman Glenn Sexton seconded the idea.

Evans noted that a motion would be out of order. &uot;E911 is going to do whatever they’re going to do,&uot; Evans said. &uot;Whichever way we go, it’s going to involve a lot of money. I have my own opinions, but I’m not going to go into that.&uot;

Evans said he encouraged the E911 board to allow the council more discussion time.

Perkins said the E911 board represented both city and county, yet most E911 funds came from city residents. Perkins also said the city had no appointing powers to the E911 board.

Reading from previous council minutes, Perkins said he and Tidwell had met and Tidwell agreed to delay moving plans until Selma presented an alternative plan.

However, Perkins continued reading, Bill Hamner &045;&045; an E911 board member &045;&045; told the council that Tidwell’s agreement wasn’t sanctioned by the board.

Before leaving, Carte Blackwell &045;&045; E911 board attorney &045;&045;, said he believed a statement would serve no purpose at the time since Perkins would speak to the board Tuesday.

The E911 board is scheduled to meet Tuesday at 5:30 p.m. in County Commission chambers.

In other matters the council: