County approves Priority Dispatch agreement for 911; officials say tariff funding will offset cost

Commissioners approved a contract to implement Priority Dispatch protocols for the county's 911 call-taking system after staff said the cost will be reimbursed by 911 tariff funds.

Forrest, the presenter, told commissioners the program follows standards from the International Academy of Emergency Dispatch and helps dispatchers use a complaint-driven decision tree to provide standardized pre-arrival instructions and life-saving guidance. He said the first-year fee is $19,200 and years 2 through 5 cost $21,600 per year, for a total contracted value of $105,600.

"This is a 100% reimbursable [expense] through ... 911 tariff funds, resulting in a no net cost to the county's general fund," Forrest said. The board moved, seconded and voted to accept the agreement.

County staff described the item as a 2026 operating budget expense that is fully offset by tariff reimbursements. Commissioners asked no substantive follow-up questions during the discussion; the board voted in favor of the motion.

The contract approval directs staff to finalize the agreement and implement Priority Dispatch under the stated financing arrangement. The transcript does not include a vendor legal name beyond "Priority Dispatch" or a signed contract date; contract execution and implementation timelines were not specified in the meeting record.