By MIKE DONAHEY

TIMES-REPUBLICAN

On Thursday, members of the Joint 911 Service Board executive committee voted unanimously to add the Marshall County Communication Commission to its insurance coverage during its monthly meeting in the basement of the Marshalltown Police Department.

Marshall County Supervisor and Chairman Bill Patten presided.

Communications Manager Teresa Lang told the board it would cost $2,092 to double umbrella insurance coverage from $1 million to $2 million. The policy is offered by EMC Insurance.

“It is going to cost us a little more than we thought,” said Lang. “Because we raised the umbrella of $1 million to a $2 million insurance policy. The city (of Marshalltown) was requiring it as part of MCCC moving into the new building (The joint Marshalltown Police Department/Fire Department facility currently under construction in the 900 block of South Second Street. Occupancy is expected in December).

The annual premium for all E-911 operations will now cost $10,092 annually and offer $2 million in insurance coverage.

Discussion followed.

It was moved and seconded to approve the additional $2,092 expenditure and motion passed unanimously.

In other action, Emergency Management Kim Elder reported a training exercise held April 7 near Gilman “had gone really well” except for a communications problem during the exercise.

Elder said the issue was traced to power being inadvertently shut off Saturday to the elevator in Pickering south of Ferguson. The elevator had shut it off due to construction work, and were not knowledgeable the repeater was critical for E-911. The elevator hosts a repeater tower necessary for communications.

Elder and Lang discussed the issue with the elevator manager, “who was apologetic.”

Elder said she was Lang would write a letter to the elevator to keep on file informing management of the need to keep the repeater powered.

Multiple First Responders, including those from Marshall County, participated in a four-county mass casualty exercise. Officials responded to a simulated incident involving two school buses.

There being no further business, the meeting adjourned.

For more information about the Joint 911 Service Board, contact Lang at 641-754-4750, or tlang@ci.marshalltown.ia.us.

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Contact Mike Donahey at 641-753-6611 or mdonahey@timesrepublican.com