The Greene County Emergency Communications District's (911) board of directors on Tuesday, approved a "balanced" 2008-09 budget for the local emergency communications agency.

As presented by Greene County 911 Director Jerry Bird, the budget projects $964,854 in revenues and a like amount in expenditures for the fiscal year that will end June 30, 2009.

Bird said the budget seeks the same amount in appropriations from Greeneville and Greene County governments as received during the current fiscal year.

The proposed budget projects appropriations of $32,200 from Greeneville and $96,615 from the Greene County government to support 911 operations during the 2008-09 fiscal year that starts on July 1.

Other projected revenues mentioned in the 2008-09 budget include $285,000 in fees from Embarq and $10,500 in fees from AT&T (formerly Bell South).

In terms of projected expenditures, the 2008-09 Greene County 911 budget's largest expenditure line items are:

* $268,975 for the salaries and benefits of eight full-time dispatchers;

* $90,000 for employee health insurance;

* $49,520 for the salaries and benefits of six part-time dispatchers;

* $65,000 for leasing 911 equipment from Embarq;

* $49,005 for the 911 director's salary and benefits.

The budget approved by the Greene County Emergency Communications District Board on Tuesday notes that the district, which operates the Greene County 911 system, has no outstanding capital debt and no outstanding bills, other than routine monthly obligations.

In other action, 911 Director Bird told the 911 board that new radio equipment and new furniture and computer equipment for a third dispatcher's position is on order.

Bird said he expects the new furniture to arrive about May 15, with the other equipment arriving in June.

Hopefully, he said, the new radio communications system and the third dispatch position will be ready to go into service around July 1.

Bird said plans are for the third dispatch position to be used initially for emergencies and training.

Also concerning new radio equipment, Bob May, chief of the Greene County Association of Volunteer Fire Departments, said the association is moving ahead with plans to install a new radio system that will feature three "repeater" sites across the county to improve communications between firefighters and Greene County 911.

He said the association is doing so with the assistance of the Greeneville Light & Power System, Embarq and the Town of Mosheim.

May said radio repeaters (devices that boost and re-transmit radio messages) will be located off the Kingsport Highway in eastern Greene County, in the Shelton Mission area of southern Greene County and in Mosheim.

May said the cost of installing the new radio system is expected to be about $130,000.

He said that, thanks to a decision by all the Greene County volunteer fire departments to contribute the $7,000 grants each department received from the county government last year and in-kind donations from a number of individuals and agencies, the fire association is well on its way to raising the funds needed pay off installation of the new radio system.

In addition, May said, the Greeneville Emergency & Rescue Squad, which also will use the new radio system, has agreed to donate funds toward purchase and installation.

"We bit the bullet and made a $40,000 down payment," May said of the county volunteer fire departments.

He said he hopes the Greene County Commission will approve additional money to the volunteer fire departments to help finish the project.

"The community is coming together to help us with this," May said.

He noted that Anthony Ball, chief of the Midway VFD, had fabricated weather-proof metal enclosures for the new radio repeaters, while the Greeneville Light & Power System had agreed to donate and place utility poles on which the repeaters will be mounted.

"Embarq is running telephone lines for us and Greeneville Fire Marshal Alan Shipley, who is a certified electrician, is doing electrical work for us," he said.

Both GL&PS, Embarq and the Town of Mosheim have made sites available on their property for placement of the new radio repeaters, May said.

May said that when the new repeater-based radio system is in place, radio communications for firefighters across Greene County should be vastly improved.

Currently, May said, the fire association is awaiting approval to use the association's existing radio frequency with the new radio system. "A month ago, they said it would take 90 to 120 days (to get frequency approval)," he said.