The future home of the health department, the county's high mortality rate among African-American infants and Administrator Moored's contract were also on the commission's agenda Tuesday.
Kalamazoo County voters must decide whether unified 911 dispatch is worth a few extra dollars on their phone bills.
On Tuesday commissioners voted 8-3 to put the question on the ballot in May. If it passes, residents would pay as much as $2.30 per month per phone toward consolidated dispatch.
Supporters say that right now, minutes are lost during emergencies while different governments’ dispatch centers coordinate with each other. Commission Vice Chair Jeff Heppler says many other counties already have unified dispatch.
“And it is so important to our citizens to give them a standard that will protect life and property throughout Kalamazoo County,” he said.
Commissioner Scott McGraw voted against the proposal. He had wanted the county to roll back property taxes to offset the fee, but that motion failed.
“I’m disappointed the amendment didn’t pass but I can’t support putting on the ballot a five-point-eight million dollar shift in taxation,” he said of the ballot question.
If the voters approve it, the phone surcharge for 9-1-1 service would start in July and run for five years.
Infant mortality resolution
Kalamazoo County hopes a new resolution will help lower the county’s exceptionally high mortality rate among African-American babies. Kalamazoo has one of the highest death rates among black infants in the state. The resolution calls for a task force to study the county government’s level of cultural awareness. Health experts say that unrecognized cultural biases lower the quality of care for African-American patients, and contribute to the high death rate among black infants. The task force plans to give a report to the commission by the end of next year.
New location for health department
Kalamazoo County’s health department appears likely to move to the Edison neighborhood. On Tuesday commissioners agreed to negotiate a long-term lease on the former Illinois Envelope building on Alcott Street. The county will shelve plans to move the health department to the county administration building downtown. The board still has to approve a lease with Plazacorp, which owns the building the county wants to rent.
Administrator Moored’s contract
Kalamazoo County has approved a contract for new administrator Tracie Moored. The commission made the decision Tuesday night. It didn’t discuss the details at the public meeting. The board hired Moored as administrator at the end of last month. She had been the county’s finance director. Moored’s contract is up for renewal in one year.
