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By JOYANNA LOVE | Managing Editor

The Maplesville Town Council unanimously approved moving forward with a new contract with Chilton County E911 during a meeting on Sept. 12.

Some contract details are still being worked out as Chilton County E911 has yet to receive a final answer from the Chilton County Board of Education on whether it will be contributing.

The Maplesville contract will include funding for the developing countywide emergency communications P25 radio system as well as contributing to the 911 department overall.

Trae Caton of Chilton County E911 presented the Maplesville Town Council with two cost proposals. One assumed that the BOE would be contributing. The other assumed in would not be contributing.

Caton said the price was partially based on how many radios each entity had using the system and a weighted average.

Maplesville’s contribution would be $1,900 per month for 10 years without the BOE, and it would be $1,600 per month for 10 years if the BOE participates.

“We are looking to add two more sites (towers) to our system and dispatch center consoles,” Caton said.

One would be behind Collins Chapel Fire station leasing space on an existing tower and another one would be built near County Road 50 and Highway 191 on County Road 213.

Total cost for the expansion would be $4 million, paying off loans for the two towers was also included in the contract total cost.

Mayor W.C. Hayes said he thought the town would be able to use American Rescue Plan Act funding it receives toward this payment.

Caton said upgrading to the new system would allow local 911 dispatchers to continue dispatching from another 911 center should something happen to the local one.

Upgrading to the P25 system will also allow multiple agencies to speak directly to each other over the radios. Caton said he has seen the importance of this ability highlighted by local incidents where first responders could not communicate to each other.

“I am a proponent of this system and getting us something that is public safety grade, and something that we can use to protect our officers and our first responders all across this county,” Caton said.

Each municipality in Chilton County is expected to vote on a new contract in the near future. A decision is needed by Sept. 30.