RICHMOND, Ky. (LEX 18) — The Richmond City Commission voted unanimously Tuesday to absorb all 911 fees for both residents and businesses for 2025, a move that will cost the city up to $2,388,000.
Richmond Mayor Robert Blythe said the decision came after residents expressed confusion and concern about how the fees were being calculated through property taxes.
"Of course, there was the opportunity for folks to call in or go online to challenge or question how their amount for the fee was determined," Blythe said.
The mayor explained that because the fee collection was through property taxes, residents could have been paying anywhere from around $50 to thousands of dollars.
"They look at this new bill which might be determined for them using incorrect data, they might not know what to do. Should I call city hall? Should I call the mayor? What should I do? So concerned there would be a lot of folks in that situation," Blythe said.
Last year, Madison County and the cities of Richmond and Berea passed an ordinance to collect 911 service fees through property taxes following the end of the Chemical Stockpile Emergency Preparedness Program (CSEPP) funding.
Blythe was also concerned the fee might negatively impact non-profits and places of worship that might be tax-exempt, which factored into the city's decision to cover the cost for its residents.
"We said, 'How about covering that for this year? Because we can,'" Blythe said.
The one-time payment represents more than half of Madison County's 911 fees and will come directly from the city's general fund.
"Straight from the budget, without touching our rainy day fund," Blythe said.
The mayor indicated that taking on the expense will help give the city more time to decide what to do in the coming years.
