Winder Council Approves 911 Consolidation Agreement with Barrow County

Emergency 911 calls made with the city of Winder will be handled exclusively by Barrow County beginning in June.

Members of the Winder City Council voted unanimously Tuesday night to approve the 911 Consolidation Intergovernmental Agreement to shift its dispatch services to Communication Center effective June 12.

"We are working with technology, we are working with various systems, so we want to make it very clear in the contract that’s our tentative date," Winder City Administrator Donald Toms said during Monday's council work session.

Under the agreement, the city of Winder will pay $200,000 per year for the first two years and $100,000 the third year to help offset the county's costs to employ four additional dispatchers.

"This has been a long time in coming," Councilman Bob Dixon said during the work session. "I think it's a major achievement for the citizens of Winder and the citizen of Barrow County. I really anticipate this being a positive thing."

The agreement, approved by county commissioners previously, will go back before the board of commissioners with changes made during Monday's work session and Tuesday's regular meeting.

What do you think about the city council's decision to shift its dispatch services to the county's communications center? Tell us in comments.