Ephrata contemplates countywide alarm request

EPHRATA - Ephrata city staff is waiting to see if other government entities will help pay for a proposed reverse 9-1-1 system before contributing up to $1,000 toward set-up costs.

The system alerts residents of emergencies through telephones. The idea is being proposed by Grant County industries that work with hazardous chemicals.

Travis Skidmore of REC Silicon said last week the industries are looking into the system to meet timely notification requirement to the county in case of a chemical release. The industries also want to give back to the community, he said. Skidmore also serves on Grant County's Local Emergency Management Committee.

During Wednesday's Ephrata City Council meeting, Ephrata City Administrator Wes Crago said "this is a smoking deal to get a tremendous benefit system."

But he added he didn't think it was equitable to have the city pay the remaining $4,000 in set-up costs alone. The total set-up amount is $88,043.

"It was just a little bit tentative, that explanation," he said.

He was referring to a conversation he had with someone connected to Grant County Emergency Management that he didn't identify during the city council meeting.

Ephrata was the only government entity being asked to contribute because Ephrata was an early participant in the proposal, he said.

REC Silicon later wrote the city a letter asking for whatever amount the city felt was appropriate to give, he said.

Ephrata plans to see if it can start a proportionate program to pay the remaining balance with Moses Lake, Quincy and Grant County, he said.

Crago said the city actually started researching the system first to serve Ephrata, Quincy and Soap Lake.

Crago said Grant County Emergency Management got involved with the idea because the county was interested in seeing the entire county covered.

He said a user fee follows the initial setup cost. The user fee is based on the population of each entity that participates.

The businesses have committed verbally to donating $88,043, which is nearly all but about $4,000 of the costs, according to Sandi Duffey of Grant County Emergency Management.

But the system is still not considered a done deal, she said recently.