City of Dothan - Houston County Communications District - 911 Center - Part One

Rickey Stokes

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Posted by: RStokes
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Date: Sep 22 2024 8:46 PM

DOTHAN - HOUSTON COUNTY:      With the recent letter from Houston County Commission Chairman Brandon Shoupe to the Mayor’s and Chief of Police calling an “Emergency Special Meeting Concerning Dispatch” has come some questions.

First, RSN wrote this meeting was Houston County Commission Chairman Brandon Shoupe’s idea. Then Shoupe went on the WDIG AM 140, The Larry McKee, which McKee recorded, being critical of www.rickeystokesnews.com and the information was false. Shoupe said it was the idea of Houston County Sheriff Donald Valenza. When Sheriff Valenza returned from out of town he personally cancelled the meeting and said RSN was spot on. This was the idea of Chairman Shoupe and not the idea of the Sheriff.

Since then some have asked how is the emergency communications and 911 set up all across Houston County.

Decades ago when Mr. Alfred Saliba was Mayor of the City of Dothan and Robert Crowder was Chairman of Houston County Commission, the 911 system was birthed. In a private meeting it was decided for the City of Dothan to be the lead because they had more money and resources then did Houston County.

The board of the 911 system was initially set up as the sitting Dothan Mayor and Dothan Commissioners. Now the Director of Cottonwood Public Safety, Jim Smith, was a Lieutenant and later a Captain with Dothan Police Department. Smith spear headed a lot of it and Tonya Shelley, the financial comptroller of the Dothan Police Department, basically took management of the 911 system. An Advisory Board of responders, postmaster and others was set up. The Advisory Committee would discuss issues and make recommendations. Those would go to the Mayor and Commissioners which basically rubber stamped the Advisory Committee’s recommendations.

PSAP’S ( Public Safety Answering Points ) were established in the Houston County Sheriff Communications Center which was located in the basement of the Houston County Courthouse and Dothan Police Communications Center located on North Appletree Street and East Adams Street behind the Dothan City Jail.

Dothan Communications Director, Mrs. Pat Hall and Houston County Communications Director Bart Blackmon managed the dispatchers.

The Dothan Communications Center handled Dothan Police, Dothan Fire, directing calls to Pilcher Ambulance. The Dothan Communications Center served as a backup to answer the 911 lines if the county 911 lines were busy.

The Houston County Communications Center handled all Houston County Sheriff Deputies, Kinsey Police, Webb Police, Gordon Police, Cottonwood Police, Taylor Police, all 17 Houston County Volunteer Fire Departments, 5 Volunteer EMS agencies, Pilcher Ambulance on area assigned in the county, Headland Fire – Rescue on calls responded to in Houston County, and the Houston County Coroner.

Ashford Police had their own dispatcher and handled the Ashford Police, Ashford Fire Department and Ashford Rescue. The calls would come into Houston County Communications which would take the call, then pickup the phone and call the Ashford dispatcher and give them the call if it was for one of the Ashford agencies. They had no PSAP ( Public Safety Answering Point ) and no CAD ( Computer Aided Dispatch ) computer terminal.

All of the money taken in for 911 was managed by the Finance Division of the City of Dothan. Ms. Shelley attempted to keep her handle on it.

Houston County urged the local legislative delegation to add two Houston County Commissioners to the 911 Board. The first two were Houston County Commission Chairman Mark Culver and then D2 Houston County Commissioner Bobby Snellgrove. When Snellgrove left the commission then D3 Houston County Commissioner Jackie Battles went on the board.

Former Dothan Police Chief’s Harold Locke, John White, John Powell, and Greg Benton oversaw the 911. Under Dothan Mayor Mike Schmitz and Dothan Police Chief Steve Parrish things began to change.

Discussions began to happen. The accounting was placed under a private accounting firm rather than the Finance Division of the City of Dothan. Ms. Shelley continued management oversight of the funds. A full time Director was hired. And today the City of Dothan – Houston County Communications District, which is the 911, is on it’s third Director.

Plans begin to develop on what was suppose to be a “JOINT COMMUNICATIONS CENTER” building to be constructed. Dothan Mayor Mike Schmitz and Houston County Commission Chairman Mark Culver wanted to change from the commissioners being the board to the Advisory Board becoming the board.

Discussions started with Alabama State Representative Paul Lee. There were discussions for four mandatory appointments, those being the sitting Dothan Police Chief or representative, Dothan Fire Chief or representative, Houston County Sheriff or representative and the President of the Houston County Volunteer Fire Chief Association. There should be a representative of the EMS as a mandatory appointment but it was getting the board of two many mandatory appointments.

Representative Paul Lee felt that most of the money to fund 911 came from Dothan and that the City of Dothan should have the majority of appointments on the board. I, Rickey Stokes, who was serving on the board disagreed with Representative Paul Lee. Emergencies do not pick the location or persons and all 911 calls are equal across the entire county. However, Representative Lee with more power, Houston County Commission appoints one member and the City of Dothan appoints four members to the board.

Discussion then took place for a “JOINT COMMUNICATIONS CENTER”. Trips to other centers were made, a consultant hired, and plans started. And construction began.

At the time there was a charge of app. $ 1.50 a month on phone bills. The State of Alabama Legislature began discussions on a statewide 911 Board. Discussions were the State Board would pay each 911 district their current charges when they took over the funding. The City of Dothan – Houston County Communications District Board raised the raised to around $ 3.50 a month. When the State Board took over the City of Dothan – Houston County Communications District would be paid the $ 3.50. but the citizens and business rate would come down to the original rate of around $ 1.50 ( plus/minus).

Dothan Mayor Mike Schmitz and Houston County Commission Chairman Mark Culver along with the Financial Comptroller Tonya Shelley wanted the new Joint Center to be a stand alone and financed on it’s own being the City of Dothan – Houston County Communications Center. And that was accomplished with a $ 5 million dollar loan to be paid back over a thirty year period.

After moving in, and with the financial management of Tonya Shelley, the thirty year note was paid off in five years rather than 30 years.

Dothan – Houston County Emergency Management was co-located in the center. Because EMA does not fall under the laws of 911, rent had to be paid for EMA to be in the center. Today Houston County pays around $ 125,000.00 rent to be located in the alleged “JOINT COMMUNICATIONS CENTER”.

The City of Dothan – Houston County Communications District has three full time employees. One being the Director, one being the one who addresses and keeps data accurate and one who keeps the building functioning. All three have vehicles but they do not drive them home.

The City of Dothan – Houston County Communications District staff has zero management authority over anyone in the alleged JOINT COMMUNICATIONS CENTER. The Director oversees the building and two employees.

The City of Dothan 911 Center is managed solely by the Dothan Police Chief and Houston County 911 Center is managed solely by the Houston County Sheriff. While they dispatch fire and EMS in both Dothan and across the county, only the two law enforcement top cops in Dothan and Houston County control the 911 dispatchers.

There is a wall between the Dothan 911 and Houston County 911. A wall that I, Rickey Stokes, voted against. The purpose was a JOINT COMMUNICATIONS CENTER and it is not joint, just co-located. The Dothan – Houston County Emergency Management Director is responsible for the space rented for EMA.

The last financial statement for the City of Dothan – Houston County Communications District, as I understand, reflects a fund balance of around $ 6 million dollars. The board voted the last meeting to fund bonuses to the City of Dothan and Houston County of around $ 400,000.00 to those who work in the Centers helping with some incentive pay.

Dothan Police Chief Will Benny see’s no benefit in giving up the sole management of the Dothan 911 Center. Houston County Sheriff Donald Valenza would give up the sole management not under the current City of Dothan – Houston County Communications Center Director.

Ozark – Dale County is under the management of the Ozark – Dale County 911. The Center Director, Paula Simmons, makes less money then the City of Dothan – Houston County Communications Center, does all of the addressing and entering information into the computer, and all dispatchers are managed by Simmons. The Ozark – Dale County 911 dispatches for everyone in Dale County but Daleville Department of Public Safety.

The Geneva County 911 Board manages all dispatchers. The 911 Director, who makes less then the City of Dothan – Houston County 911 Director, does all of the addressing, keeping the information accurate in the computer, does all of the addressing, manages all dispatchers who work for Geneva County 911, and often times works a shift as a dispatcher.

The Alabama E911 laws are found in Code of Alabama 11-98-5 and 11-98-6.

CLICK ON LINK TO CODE OF ALABAMA 11-98-5

CLICK ON LINK TO CODE OF ALABAMA 11-98-6

CLICK ON LINK OF METHODS OF RESPONSE TO 911 CALLS - CODE OF ALA. 11-98-11

In an upcoming article RSN will explain how the system works here as the receiving, transmitting and dispatching of emergency calls in all of Houston County.

Until then, that is the brief history.

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