FALLS CITY – Richardson County commissioners are considering returning 911 dispatching to the sheriff’s office saying the agreement with Southeast Communications 911 Center has become too costly.

Commissioner Rick Karas said the county received a proposal to renew the contract in August of 2024 at twice the price. The county's cost would rise from $190,000 to nearly $360,000 a year.

Karas said after an initial meeting, the county was met with inaction regarding its hope to negotiate an affordable price.

 

Karas: “This has absolutely nothing to do with their dispatchers or anything like that – they’ve been doing a fantastic job – this is just something the county can’t afford to do. And then he will just not contact us or reach out to us.”

Karas said the number of dispatching calls generated in Richardson County turned out to be way more than anticipated when the contract was signed in 2021 and said the renewal proposal would base future costs on call volume.

Karas: “There was no certain price so we don’t know from one day to the next what it would be so that’s why we’re not going to do this.”

Karas said when Richardson County contacted Southeast Nebraska 911 for dispatching services the idea was that it would take Richardson County 911 calls, but that service was maintained by Falls City police.

 

Karas said not renewing is seen as a positive.

Karas: “It is because the people of this county want it back in the county.”

Beatrice consolidated 911 services in Gage County and added the City of Crete in 2015.