To the editor:
I am Steve Morris and I proudly serve as mayor of Rockingham. I have been asked by numerous citizens of Richmond County for an explanation of the funding for the Richmond County Emergency Center or the 911 Center.
It is really quite simple. I am holding in my hand a copy of a City-County Interlocal Agreement between the City of Rockingham and Richmond County. It is a legal, binding, straight-forward , no-smoke-or-mirrors contract between the two governments. Hamlet has an identical document between their city and Richmond County.
The Richmond County Board of Commissioners have stated that they are changing the Richmond County sales tax distribution to a plan that will benefit Richmond County Government by almost a million and a half dollars. Where does this money come from? It comes from the money that had been distributed to the six cities and towns in Richmond County. This will take approximately $700,000. from Rockingham and lesser amounts from the other city and towns. There is no new money coming in, it is that Richmond County is increasing the amount they will be taking from the same pool of sales taxes paid. Richmond County says that one reason they are taking the sales tax money away from all of the cities and towns is because Rockingham and Hamlet will not paid money to the County for providing the RCEC.
Back to the legal contract between Rockingham and Richmond County. I will not print the entire contract, but will list the sections that pertain to funding of the RCEC.
Section G: Budget Process and Finances: RCEC (911 Center) is intended to be a self-sufficient entity financed by 911 Fees, grants, and funds provided by the COUNTY.
Section H: Operating Budget … The County will NOT charge Rockingham any fees for taking over their call taking and dispatch functions….
Richmond County approached Rockingham and requested we eliminate our call center and combine with one for the entire county. Rockingham agreed to their request and even provided (for free) a $120,000 piece of property for the RCEC to be built on. Richmond County also received a larger amount of grant money because all of the county governments participated.
Every taxpayer living in Rockingham and Hamlet already pays for a portion of the RCEC operations when they pay their Richmond County taxes. Why would the commissioners expect these taxpayers to pay twice? Why should Rockingham and Hamlet be punished after we have fully performed all of the terms of this contract? Now Norman, Ellerbe, Dobbins Heights, and Hoffman taxpayers are being punished for the same reason and they were not even involved in the contract.
The City-County Interlocal Agreement was signed by Steve Morris, mayor of Rockingham and Kenneth Robinnette, chairman of the Richmond County Board of Commissioners, on Feb. 10, 2015.
Steve Morris
Rockingham Mayor
