News photo by Kayla Wikaryasz On Tuesday, Alpena County commissioners are seen attending a Finance, Ways, and Means committee meeting. During the meeting, board members approved a special election to be held for the Alpena County 911 Central Dispatch surcharge renewal.

ALPENA — Alpena County commissioners voted to approve a special election for an Alpena County 911 Central Dispatch surcharge renewal at Tuesday’s Finance, Ways, and Means committee meeting.

Alpena County 911 Central Dispatch Director Kim Elkie stated in a memo to the commissioners that the department can not hold the election any later than May 4.

In 2021, voters in Alpena County approved a $3 surcharge for five years on their cell phone bills to help cover 911 operations. That tax raises between $900,000 to $970,00 annually.

The surcharge request slated for May is not seeking an increase.

She explained that the special election is necessary because the department must report their surcharge to the State 911 Office by May 15 for the period between July 1, 2026 to June 30, 2027. The state told Elkie that her department had missed the opportunity to add the surcharge renewal on the August or November ballot.

“The election has to be completed and certified so that I can report to the State 911 Office,” she said. “They have a report they have to submit to the state legislature who has final oversight on our surcharge.”

Elkie told board members that the dispatch department will cover the cost of the special election so that it doesn’t cause additional hardships on the townships or Alpena.

Elkie said that the 2021 special election for the surcharge renewal cost the department almost $39,000.

“So this doesn’t make me happy to have to request this, but it’s this or we don’t have operating funds.

Elkie added that the State 911 Office has to send notifications to phone companies letting them know what each county is charging the following year.

“The same thing happened back in 2021,” she said. “We hope to remedy this.”

County Administrator Jesse Osmer told board members that the surcharge renewal is on a six-year cycle which creates timing issues. He added that he plans to speak with either State Senator Michelle Hoitenga, R-Manton, or State Representative Cam Cavitt, R-Cheboygan, to see if the state legislature can provide a gap period thus allowing the county dispatch department to move to the fall-election cycle.

“Even municipalities now are moving to November and August elections,” Osmer explained. “They are no longer doing the spring elections, it’ll be easier to prepare.”

“It sounds like this is a common problem across the state because we have to report to the State 911 Office every year by May 15,” Elkie added. “So this isn’t just an us thing.”

Elkie also stated that if the department had waited to place the renewal charge on the August or November ballot, it would have created a fund gap.

Kayla Wikaryasz can be reached at 989-358-5688 or kwikaryasz@TheAlpenaNews.com.