VIENNA — Every fire, crash and emergency response in Maries County starts with one phone call, but the people answering those calls say they need help before their own system crashes and becomes an emergency.

Dispatch services in the county face two critical challenges, funding and understaffing. The proposed one percent 911 sales tax on the upcoming Nov. 4 ballot, which would create an independent and elected 911 Board to oversee operations, would sustain the system and allow for much-needed oversight and increased staffing. Without it, said Dispatch Sergeant Nicole Bexten, the county will struggle to maintain current operations.

“I think we won’t have the funding we need to sustain the systems that we currently run,” she said. “Without it, transfers between jurisdictions will slow, adding crucial minutes to response times.”

If the tax fails, the situation could become even more complicated. The various agencies currently dispatched through Maries County would have to outsource their dispatching services to other counties, a move that would cost more money for already financially strained emergency services. There is also no guarantee that a single dispatch center would agree—or even be able—to handle all of Maries County’s agencies, which could result in fragmented emergency communication, with multiple centers attempting to coordinate separate calls for the same incidents.

Such a scenario carries serious risks. Dispatchers in other counties may have little to no knowledge of Maries County’s road conditions, closures or problem areas that often require special attention during emergencies. Delays in finding a location, rerouting units, or understanding terrain challenges could further endanger lives when seconds already matter.

Inside the dispatch room of the Maries County Courthouse, six phones ring intermittently over the quiet hum of more than a dozen screens. Each screen displays a different thread of the county’s public safety network including officer locations, fire and EMS units, maps, call logs and alerts blinking in rapid succession.

“At any given moment, we could have deputies out on a pursuit while 911 phones are ringing, going crazy,” Bexten said. “You get a call here while I’m on the phone over there with another, I’ve got to swing over and answer that one, and if my partner’s not in here, I’m juggling both calls while keeping track of deputies on the radio.”

In the span of just 40 minutes during a recent visit, the dispatch center handled a flurry of activity. Vienna Police Chief Shannon Thompson called in to run a license check during a routine traffic stop. A fire unit was dispatched, and a sergeant requested information for ongoing coordination. According to Bexten, all of this happened outside the center’s busiest hours, which often occur at night.

Currently, the center handles multiple agencies including Belle Police, Vienna Police, Vienna Fire, Maries-Osage Ambulance, Maries County Sheriff’s office, Argyle Fire Department and Dixon Fire for transfer calls.

Vichy Fire staff member Bonnie Prigge expressed her support for the sales tax,

“I believe this is needed and I do recognize the increased fees,” Prigge said. “But I have seen the county struggle with finances and this is needed. Personally, I do support this sales tax.”

The Maries County 911 dispatch service receives $15,500 annually from municipal law enforcement dispatch contracts, with the Vienna Police Department paying $6,500 per year and the Belle Police Department contributing $9,000. Among area fire departments, there is no payment structure in place. The Vichy, Argyle and Dixon fire departments are not required to pay dispatch fees, and the Maries-Osage Ambulance district is not billed for dispatch services through Maries County. The Vienna Fire Department does not pay a recurring fee for dispatch services but has provided donations toward equipment improvements, including computer-aided dispatch (CAD) and location service upgrades.

Most departments, according to past interviews, may have to pay considerably more for services if this is not passed. In addition, according to the financial stress being experienced by Maries County, there will not be enough funding to support the dispatch center. The local impact this could have on staff members including Bexten herself will be profound, and that is just the reality of the situation facing Maries County residents.

Bexten has expressed her frustrations with handling all of these services at once and being understaffed and underfunded.

“At any given time, they’re stumbling and walking all over each other, and you’re trying to CAD as much information as you can while holding your officers,” Bexten said, referring to the computer-aided dispatch system that logs every detail.

If multiple outside dispatch agencies were to take over, Bexten said, coordination during multi-agency emergencies—such as major crashes, wildfires or storm responses—could become chaotic. Different counties might dispatch duplicate units, overlook key jurisdictions, or lose valuable time transferring calls and confirming locations.

If the tax passes, the dispatch center would also receive upgrades such as a new router, allowing other counties to transfer calls seamlessly and ensuring timely responses.

“We would get the router that we need because it would allow other jurisdictions being able to transfer over calls to us,” Bexten said. “For us to take our side of the calls that we need, and being able to transfer the calls to the other county so that they can get the help they need in a timely manner. Instead of it taking another minute or two delay, it could possibly save lives, a lot of lives.”

Bexten has been in dispatch for three years and with Maries County for four, starting in the license office before moving into emergency communications.

“I’ve been here for the community for the last three years. I would hate to see the community lose something that we desperately need,” she said, urging residents to understand the stakes of the proposed tax.

Some residents have been vocal on social media, voicing concerns over the proposed tax.

Some of the common issues brought up include concerns that a one percent tax increase translates to a significant financial burden on families, especially when neighboring counties are using only a half-cent.

While a one percent sales tax is higher than some counties’, it’s important to understand that Maries County’s 911 system operates under unique financial strain. Unlike larger counties with broader tax bases or existing municipal dispatch centers, Maries County’s emergency network must cover multiple small jurisdictions—Belle, Vienna, Vichy and Argyle—with limited revenue sources. The tax ensures that the county can maintain a fully functional, locally controlled dispatch center rather than having agencies outsourcing to other counties, which would ultimately cost more in service fees and reduce local control. In practical terms, the one percent tax equals only one dollar per $100 spent—far less than the financial and safety cost of losing a unified emergency response system.

Transparency was another concern voiced by one online opponent, saying there’s a lack of clear justification for why Maries County requires a full one percent tax, and residents want to know exactly how the funds will be used.

The proposal is structured with full transparency. The revenue from the 911 sales tax would be managed by an independent and publicly elected 911 Board, ensuring that residents—not politicians—oversee how every dollar is spent. The funds are earmarked specifically for dispatch operations, equipment upgrades and personnel support, not general government spending. The need for a full cent stems from the loss of the traditional landline-based 911 tax, which has dropped from $76,654.77 in 2020 to just $49,401.38 in 2025, a decline that continues each year as more residents move to cell phones. This rate helps fill the funding gap left behind by that outdated system, keeping emergency services operating without interruption.

Another argument from detractors against the tax was the prospect of a higher sales tax could deter local business and reduce spending power among residents.

Emergency response capability is a core infrastructure investment, not an economic drag. When a county’s 911 system fails or is outsourced, response times increase and public safety becomes uncertain—all of which make the county less attractive to new families, visitors and businesses. A well-funded, reliable dispatch system supports the very stability that small businesses depend on. Moreover, the economic impact of the proposed tax is minimal—just one penny on the dollar—yet it safeguards millions of dollars in public assets, protects lives and prevents costlier alternatives such as contracting out to multiple out-of-county dispatch centers.

A strong 911 system isn’t a tax burden—it’s an investment in the safety and economic confidence of Maries County.