COLDWATER, MI (WTVB) – Branch County 911 Director Bob Swick reported during a special meeting of the agency’s executive board on Tuesday that a voter approved phone surcharge for upgrades to the 911 system is not bringing in enough money to pay off 2021 bonds.
He said the shortfall over the last couple of years was just short of $2 million as the county has collected just over $1-point-5 million from the surcharges.
Swick said after checking the numbers with County Treasurer Steve Rutz and the State of Michigan, everybody agreed there was a shortfall.
County administrator Bud Norman pointed out what voters approved in November of 2020 was a six year surcharge on each phone in the county, not a millage.
The monthly surcharge of up to $2.52 per phone device was scheduled to raise about $2-point-4 million annually and would go no longer than six years starting in July of 2021.
The matter is expected to be discussed further when the entire 911 Board meets on September 13.
No new taxes or surcharges! We gave you what you wanted. Deal with what we approved.