March 24, 1990

Efforts to bring 911 to county gathering speed

       Plans for an enhanced 911 System, or E911, which would quicken emergency response times, are gathering speed in Johnson County. On Tuesday, the Johnson County Commissioners agreed to request up to $50,000 from the Johnson County Council to pay for assigning addresses to all county homes and businesses, which officials have said is necessary to implement an E911 system. A meeting to discuss the type of addressing system to use has been set for 10 a.m. March 6, at the Johnson County Jail. Commissioners have set May 21 as the day they will award a contract to the firm that will install and operate the county’s E911 system. Commissioners will advertise for E911 system bids to be submitted on April 26 and May 3, Sheriff Doran Miller said. If a bid is awarded on May 21, it is estimated that the earliest the system would begin service is January 1992. Miller said the county can’t rush plans to establish the emergency phone system. “We have to take it a step at a time,” he said. “We want to establish a quality system that ensures everyone receives quality emergency service quickly. That’s the whole intent.” The $50,000 request going before council members March 12 is based on an estimate from Southland Engineering of Bloomington of the cost of assigning addresses in Johnson County. March 6 meeting will be for representatives of all county police and fire agencies, postal service workers, and city and county engineers. They will discuss the type of addressing system that will be used. Miller said a firm decision is necessary so that the addressing effort can proceed. Representatives from the Marion County E911 system that began service in late January recommend all streets be named in the county and addresses assigned to all locations along the street. The Johnson County Commissioners have indicated they want the existing county road system to remain in place. Miller said a recommendation from Southland Engineering partially honors the desire to maintain the existing county road numbering system. Southland recommends adding a zero to all existing county roads in the county’s unincorporated areas. Under that proposal, for example, County Road 200 N. would become 2000 N. Under that proposal, addresses would be assigned every 10 feet even if no structure currently stand on the property, Miller said. The assignment of addresses in that manner anticipates future growth. Miller said it appears most likely that existing addresses in cities, towns, and White River Township subdivisions will remain the same.  (Reprinted with permission from the Daily Journal)
 
 
 

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