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Columbia Gas Dept. GAS LEAK or GAS SMELL Contact Numbers 24 hrs/ 365 days 270-384-2006 or 9-1-1 Call before you dig 
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Letter to the editor: CJE says no County-Cty deal made on City 911 building Former County Judge Executive Jerry Vaughan, reached by phone at his home on Lampton Lane today, concurred with details in Judge Melton's letter, below, as it relates to any County commitment during his administration for the Adair County 911 Dispatch center to moved to the City's proposed communications center. -EW To the People of Columbia & Adair County The following is in response to quotes by Mayor Pat Bell in a recent newspaper story quoting the Mayor giving background information on my request to the City of Columbia to fund its share of the enhanced 911 Center dispatcher staff salaries. The article appeared in the Adair Progress following the June 2, 2008, City Council meeting. The paper accurately quoted Mayor Bell, but his account was inaccurate. I simply want to put the record straight. When I was elected Judge, I too was told that the 911 Center needed to be moved out of the Adair County Regional Jail. There simply is not adequate space for the 911 Center to operate efficiently in that facility. I then went to Senator Vernie McGaha to seek funding to build a new building to house our 911 services. He told me that Mayor Bell had told him that the 911 Center would be moved to the new City Hall annex and had included that information in his application seeking funding for that building. I then contacted former Judge Executive, Jerry Vaughan to ask him if he had discussed with the mayor locating the center in the city's building. He told me that he had never discussed this possibility with Mayor Bell or any other member of city government. He did say however, that Chief Mark Harris had brought to him a copy of an interlocal agreement that another City and County had executed but stated that no agreement had ever been made. The Senator then set up a meeting with me and the mayor to discuss this issue. I asked the mayor who had told him to include this in his application as this is a service provided by county government. He indicated that the city police, sheriff deputies and so forth had told him to do it. I then asked him what cost to the county would be involved in locating the center in the new building. He said that they would want the property located behind City Hall now occupied by Adanta as the county's contribution. That property has recently been appraised at $140,000.00. So in reality this so called deal would have cost the county $140,000.00 toward the city's new building. I then asked him when he anticipated construction to begin on the project and he said that the city needed additional funding before they could begin. The mayor stated that in 2004 he was told that getting the 911 Center out of the jail was one of the top two needs for our community. This is the middle of 2008, the city received their money in the 2006 State budget and to date the building is yet to be started. I have never been to Washington, D. C. with Mayor Bell and I don't believe an application could have been submitted for funding for a 911 project without the signature of the official responsible for the service. Would it have not been appropriate for the Mayor to make these statements during the meeting that I attended.# Why wait until a meeting when I was out of town to discuss a background that has no merit. The city police are a great service to the residents of the City of Columbia. The men that are on the police force are dedicated individuals who are to be commended for the work they do to protect the citizens of Columbia. But, because cities choose to have additional police protection that county residents do not have, I don't believe the burden of having to employ extra staff to answer calls warrants the citizens of the county to pay the full cost of operations. I had high hopes we could work through this in a manner that would best benefit our citizens.# I sincerely regret that this has turned into a she said-he said situation. I will continue to work with Mayor Bell on any projects that benefit both the City and County residents. I have the utmost respect for Mayor Bell but to insinuate that a deal had been worked out to benefit the county is just not true. I would like to personally thank each of the five council members that are giving this issue their consideration.For years the city did help fund the center by paying $30,000.00 per year toward the cost.# For the last five or six years the city has not paid anything. In checking with six of our surrounding counties five of those cities do contribute to the cost of operating expenses. This is not the first request to Mayor Bell since he took office for help on funding. Jailer Knight had previously met with the mayor to ask for help in funding the 911 center. The county will continue to fund the center for citizens of Columbia and Adair County and I believe that we will have a 911 center that will be second to none. Thank You,s/Ann Melton, Adair County Judge/Executive This story was posted on 2008-06-11 19:33:49
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Big agenda for tomorrow's Planning & Zoning Board Several Adair County offices to close for Bill Knight funeral CU hosts Lt. Gov. Mongiardo, who address C-TC Chamber Master Clothing Volunteer recruitment ongoing through June LWC hosts school for Methodist ministers Catch the Reading Bug begins June 11, 2008 at ACPL Relay For Life June 13, 2008 full schedule Columbia-Adair County Industrial Authority meets Wednesday Major storm causes heavy damage in Adair last night Adair firemen extinguish LBN Parkway grass fire View even more articles in topic News |
 
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