Louisa Mayor Proposes to Join Forces with County on Future Emergency Center
By Roberta Cantrell
BSN Editor
Lawrence County Fiscal Court met in regular session Tuesday morning, Dec. 16 and were met with a proposal from Louisa Mayor Harold Slone.
The mayor who announced recently that the city received a grant of just over 3 million dollars to build a new facility to house Louisa Fire Station 1 and the Louisa Police Department, proposed that the county also allow the architects to add in an additional Lawrence County 911 facility within the structure.
The mayor explained to the fiscal court and LC Judge Executive Phil Carter how important it would be to have all emergency responders in the same facility that would be located in the empty lot just across the street from where the fire and police stations are presently located.
According to a resolution for the relocation of 911 to the new Louisa Emergency Communications Response Center it reads that it will provide enhanced redundancy, security, technology, space and operational capabilities that meet or exceed applicable state and federal standards for 911 and emergency communications operations and will promote efficient use of public resources.
Mayor Slone said the building would be state of the art, complete with safety features for the 911 employees, first responders and volunteers should there be a tornado or other weather-related incident.
With the new structure being built on property owned by the city and with funds awarded to the city, the mayor needed to have the county on board with relocating the 911 system which is owned by the county into the facility once it’s built.
The 911 center is currently attached to the Lawrence County Courthouse near the LC Sheriff’s Office.
“If you do not want to join in this you simply do not need to do anything,” said Mayor Slone. “But I do have architects waiting to see how they are gonna draw up plans and if those plans will or will not include a 911 center, so I need to let them know so they can get started.”
LC Magistrate Rick Blackburn asked how quick a decision had to be made in the interest of having time to speak to all who would be involved in the merge and relocation.
Mayor Slone answered saying he would like to know in 30 days so the plans could get started.
Other items on the agenda such as approving the bills and treasurer’s report were approved and the meeting was closed out by the fiscal court wishing all a Merry Christmas and a moment of silence suggested by LC Court Clerk Chris Jobe for Sabrina Cantrell’s family former County Treasurer who passed away last month.