What $57,000 a year would buy for 911—and how the city could check it

Chattahoochee Hills, Georgia, would pay Fulton County $57,000 a year for 911 call reception and public-safety dispatch under an agreement on the City Council’s Nov. 5 agenda. The draft also spells out how city officials could check the service: an answer-time objective and monthly reports on calls originating in the city.⁠[1][2]

Fulton County commissioners approved the agreement through their consent agenda Oct. 21. The city’s decision is still ahead. The attached draft specifies a Jan. 1–Dec. 31, 2027 initial term, followed by three automatic annual renewals through the end of 2030.⁠[1][2][3][4]

The $57,000 subsidy would not be the service’s only funding. The agreement also allows the county to collect and retain monthly 911 charges from wired and wireless telephone subscribers served by its system.⁠[2]

On speed, the draft sets an objective of an “average fifteen (15) second call answer time” for emergency calls from the city “90% of the time.” It allows exceptions for unpredictable system overload, declared disasters and disruptions in voice or data transmission. That clock concerns answering the phone—not how long emergency crews take to arrive.⁠[2]

The county’s emergency-services director would have to send the city administrator monthly reports showing call volume, whether calls involved police, fire or EMS, and answer speed. Those are reporting requirements, not evidence that the target is being met: the agreement itself supplies no actual answer-time results. Nor would the subsidy buy dedicated city call-takers. Fulton’s consolidated center routes calls to the first available call-taker.⁠[2]

Persistent failure to meet the service levels could constitute a default after repeated written notification by City Council. The draft provides a written-notice and cure process, including an initial 60-day period for the county to remedy a default. Separately, the city could leave with 60 days’ notice if it chose to provide emergency communications itself or through another arrangement.⁠[2]

The council agenda lists the agreement as Item 26-070 for the Nov. 5 meeting at 6:30 p.m. at City Hall, 6505 Rico Road.⁠[1]