Madison County News Briefs

By Staff
Phone rates rise
Phone bills in Madison County will rise this month.
To meet the growing technological needs of the E 9-1-1 Center, residents in Madison County will see a 13 cent increase for residential and a 28 cent increase for businesses on your monthly phone bills. The annual increase for a residential phone is $1.56 a year.
The Madison County Communications District Board approved the change to maintain Huntsville-Madison County's 9-1-1 Center. The center has the most technologically advanced computerized 9-1-1 centers in Alabama.
"When you as a citizen need help or emergency personnel need to communicate with each other in the field, it is the 9-1-1 center that handles all those calls," said Ernie Blair, 9-1-1 director. "Time is of the essence when responding to a call for assistance. Dispatch of those calls is critical."
Blair said the rate change would be used to maintain and update emergency communications and response for all residents.