City of Weaver negotiating deal to consolidate dispatch services with 911

The weaver City Council moved one step closer to outsourcing its 911 dispatch to Calhoun County Tuesday voting to let Mayor Wayne Willis negotiate a contract with the Calhoun County 911 District to handle the city’s 911 calls and directly dispatch to the city’s police and fire departments. Calhoun County 911’s proposal to the city included an annual fee of $68,841 for the service. Currently the city pays $135,000 in annual salary to three dispatch employees. Willis said it’s possible the city would keep a full time dispatch employee even if it contracts with 911, but the city would still save money.  Weaver police Chief Wayne Bush said if the city doesn’t contract with County 911, it would need to update its own software, 911 console and antenna. He estimated the costs for the upgrades would total more than $200,000.  Weaver and the Anniston Police Department are reported to be  the only two agencies that have expressed interest in consolidating.