Washington County’s E-911 Center has a new home at the Washington County Sheriff’s Office.
In early March, the decision was made to temporarily relocate the center due to construction and demolition taking place at the former Sheriff’s Office where the E-911 center was housed.
When the Washington County Sheriff’s Office moved out of the old facility at the end of 2016, the Washington County E-911 Center remained at the former Sheriff’s Office; the County Commissioners ultimately voted in 2017 to transfer the property to the State of Georgia’s Department of Technical and Adult Education with the agreement that E-911 could remain in the facility.
At a Thursday, March 25 called meeting, Washington County Commissioners unanimously voted to permanently move the E-911 Center to the Washington County Sheriff’s Office.
Commissioners provided feedback on the decision noting that the Sheriff’s Office provided the dispatchers with a sense of security, as well as a quiet area to answer emergency calls and dispatch first responders to emergency situations.
“The E-911 Center should be housed in a building owned by the County,” said Commissioner Doug Watkins.
Commissioner Edward Burten stated that he originally had reservations about permanently moving the Center, but has since changed his mind after speaking with the dispatchers about the temporary move and learning of the mandated upgrades that the Center will undertake over the next several months.
Commissioners agreed that a decision was vital in determining where the E-911 Center would be permanently housed in order to properly address those mandated upgrades required for the E-911 phone system, radio system, CAD system, and recorder that are estimated to cost $405,000; Special Purpose Local Option Sales Tax monies will be used to fund those mandated upgrades.
Commissioners unanimously voted to permanently relocate the E-911 Center to the Washington County Sheriff’s Office located at 733 Kaolin Road in Sandersville.