Oxford will begin paying Covington and Newton County $18,282 for the use of emergency 911 services. Covington, Oxford and Porterdale use the 911 Center’s services, while Newborn and Mansfield’s calls are handled through the county’s sheriff’s office and fire department. Oxford’s bill was based on the city’s percentage of the total number of 911 calls in fiscal year 2008. Oxford Mayor Jerry Roseberry explained that Oxford had been such a small user, the 911 center had simply absorbed the costs previously.
E-911 Communications Director Mike Smith said Oxford accounted for between 1.5 to 2 percent of the center’s total call volume.
Oxford will continue to use 911 services for at least the next five years.
In other Board of Commissioners business:
• The sheriff’s office will not purchase a new fingerprint system this year. Sheriff Ezell Brown recommended putting off the purchase of the $61,295 fingerprint system, because it would be "wasteful spending." He said the system would be obsolete in two years
The sheriff’s office needed the system to meet state guidelines but received an extension.
• Sheriff Brown also received an approval to sell surplus items that the sheriff’s office is not using. The items are currently being stored in the jail warehouse. They will be sold on govdeals.com a Web site that "provides services to various government agencies that allow them to sell surplus and confiscated items." The items include riot helmets and shields, bike shin guards, Rubbermaid Roughneck Tubs, a computer table, a black TV cabinet, a gray metal file case, saws and pepper spray foam.
• Developer Roger Singleton received permission to gate off the Brookside section of the Rosedown subdivision off of Elks Club Road. He hasn’t been able to sell any of the 39 vacant lots in the subdivision and people have been reportedly vandalizing his property. Trash has been dumped in the cul-de-sac, manhole covers have been stolen, streetlights have been broken and numerous unauthorized parties have taken place on the property, Singleton said.
Singelton had to ask for permission to gate off the subdivision because the property was developed two years ago, after which period of time roads are accepted as part of the county. County roads cannot normally be blocked off from access, but in this case the subdivision’s roads dead end. Therefore, closing off the roads would not interrupt any traffic. However, Singleton only asked for the roads to be temporarily closed off until further notice. Singleton said gating off the area would benefit him and the county by saving them time and money. The county and Singleton will both have a key to open the gate.
