VIENNA — Confusion that arose during a recent Maries County Commission meeting regarding how members of the new 911 Board would be appointed and when elections would take place was resolved Nov. 19 after Maries County Sheriff Mark Morgan contacted The Advocate to provide clarification.

Morgan’s call followed questions raised at the Nov. 17 county commission meeting when commissioners encountered conflicting language in a separate statute that did not appear to match the voter-approved measure.

Morgan explained that the correct statutes governing Maries County’s 911 sales tax and the formation of its dispatching board are RSMo 190.335 and RSMo 190.339, not the unrelated section previously referenced.

Morgan confirmed that the one-percent emergency services sales tax approved by voters falls directly under RSMo 190.335, which authorizes counties to impose a sales tax to fund central dispatching for fire protection, ambulance services, law enforcement, and other emergency response agencies. Because the Maries County’s tax was established under this section—not the conflicting statute found at the meeting—190.335 controls the method of creating the 911 board and how its members must be selected.

This process is by appointment of members to the board by the county commision. These members hold their positions until the April election, when seats will be filled by voter approved candidates.

He further noted that RSMo 190.339, specifically subsection 3, governs how the resulting revenue must be used, requiring that all funds be spent strictly on the operation, equipment, and maintenance of the county’s emergency communications system.

Morgan contacted Maries County Clerk Rhonda Rodgers to advise the commissioners that he had been in contact with Sarah Newell, secretary for the Missouri 911 Service Board and Polk County Central Dispatch Director, and that she would be in attendance on Nov. 24 to speak with commissioners about the next steps in appointing the board.