2020-08-24 Update regarding Combined User CommitteeUpdate regarding Combined User Committee
August 24, 2020
2:40 p.m.
Present: Commissioner Stamper, Commissioner Fund, Commissioner Jackson, County Manager Erik
Martin, Scott Smitherman, Becky Butler
Guests: Dr. Lindsey Pollock
Recorder: Rieva Lester
Erik Martin said Combined User Committee members have requested a change for the ILA regarding the
funding formula for law enforcement members. He said the group wants a future flat rate budget
increase based on the rates for each law enforcement group’s prior year budget.
Erik said previous arrangements were based on the average usage for the previous three years’ rates. He
said fire officials wanted annual revisions, whereas the law enforcement members wanted rates
readjusted once every three years due to wide-ranging changes.
Erik noted that the proposed formula will be an ongoing issue as leadership changes occur at the user
group level.
Erik said the county needs to address the issue of accountability for use.
Scott Smitherman said the User Committee members were presented with a 10 percent increase. The
group instead negotiated a 7 percent increase with an understanding that the remaining 3 percent
would be added in the 2021 budget. He and Erik noted that the proposed ILA does not include that
remaining 3 percent.
Scott said the ILA is set to expire at the end of 2021.
Scott said fire pays for 30 percent of the 911 costs and that law pays for 70 percent. He said fire
members pay based on 2018 use.
Scott said 911 tries to maintain a two-month fund balance to cover staffing. He said part of the CUC was
so the user groups would start paying for maintenance. He said those users are not paying the additional
amounts, so the county lost out on $40,000 the previous year and have had to use fund balance to pay
for recent maintenance / upgrades and upcoming maintenance / upgrades.
The commissioners directed Erik and Scott to counter with straight-forward simple language that
addresses usage, have it reviewed and then present it to the CUC.
Meeting adjourned at 3:15 p.m.