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After several months of praising Sprint/Centel for its cooperation with the county in implementing E-911, County Administrator John McCarthy had to eat his words when he told the members of the Board of Supervisors Monday afternoon of difficulties he and county attorney Peter Luke were having negotiating a contract with the company for E-911 service.
For several months the county has experienced problems with Bell Atlantic in agreeing to hook its customers into the system, while Sprint/Centel has cooperated with that process.
However, contract negotiations have been something else. The company insisted the county pledge to indemnify it in the event it was sued. As Mr. Luke pointed out, the county is covered by a sovereign immunity and cannot be sued, nor can it be compelled to •indemnify another party. Furthermore, Mr. Luke reported on a case in Stafford County in which a judge ruled that Bell Atlantic could not be sued either for problems with E-911. Presumably Sprint/Centel enjoys that same immunity.
However, the company insisted on wording in the contract that the county would indemnify the company to the extent it is allowed to by law. Mr. Luke said in his opinion that was “not at all.”
Mr. Luke advised the supervisors to consider “how much you want E-911” in deciding whether or not to sign such a contract.
As Mr. McCarthy pointed out many people, especially those who serve in the fire and resuce squads, asked the supervisors to implement E-911, which enables the dispatch center using a computer ^database to know where a call to 911 is coming from even if the ’ caller hangs up or becomes unconscious. With maps developed as ; part of the process, rescue personnel can find the house the call came !. from. Furthermore Rappahannock citizens have been paying an extra * $2 every month for some years with their telephone bills to pay for * this system. ! t After debating in open session and in executive session, the * supervisors agreed to sign the best contract Mr. Luke can negotiate * and seek legislative relief once the General Assembly convenes in 'January. The county will seek to join with others having similar »problems with E-911 contracts to have a bill introduced that would '.prohibit such language in them. » Their decision is the correct one, but they were also correct tc { protest this form of blackmail. X.
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