Smyrna, Powder Springs to share E-911 services

Instead of Cobb County, Powder Springs will enter into an agreement with Smyrna on emergency calls.

Instead of Cobb County, Powder Springs will enter into an agreement with Smyrna on emergency calls.

The Smyrna City Council agreed Aug. 21 to begin answering emergency calls for Powder Springs with Smyrna hosting records management software for Powder Springs.

Smyrna has a multi-jurisdictional records management system, so instead of continuing its agreement with Cobb County, Powder Springs officials want to join the Smyrna system. They have offered for Smyrna to collect the E-911 remittance fees of Powder Springs.

Also, the Smyrna/Powder Springs 9-1-1 Advisory Board will be formed to ensure that the interests of both cities will be protected.

Since Cobb 911 will not release its revenues from Powder Springs, Smyrna Police Major Joseph Bennett wrote in a Jan. 17 memo to Smyrna Police Chief David Lee that he estimates the annual revenues from Powder Springs to Cobb were around $300,000.

Now that money will go to Smyrna at $1.50 per line per month for Powder Springs’ 16,000 residents and 300 Powder Springs businesses for two lines per month plus annual revenues of $49,644 for other E-911 charges.

Smyrna’s annual cost is estimated to be $294,156, including $239,556 for salaries and benefits for four communications officers, $36,000 for E-911 phone charges from AT&T and $18,600 for wireless fees.