Adding the Lawrence County Sheriff’s dispatching to the computer system now used for the 911 dispatching will cost more initially, but is intended to end up providing a long-term savings.

“We have reached out to Emergitech to merge the computer systems to accept the law enforcement side of documentation,” Sheriff Jeff Lawless told the Lawrence County at its regular Thursday meeting. “Emergitech can adapt the systems and be compliant with Ohio law.”

Currently the 911 dispatching system pays an annual fee to Emergitech of approximately $36,000. To extend the system will cost a one-time fee of $22,130. But with that comes a reduction of the annual fee to $32,006 for the next five years.

In March 2012, the commissioners put the 911 dispatching under the jurisdiction of the sheriff’s office to make both dispatching operations more efficient.

“It’s been 13 and a half months (since the merger), it’s time we start investing,” Commission President Bill Pratt said.

In a unanimous vote the commission agreed to the computer system merger but did not immediately appropriate any funding for it.

Lonnie Best, 911 director, said $36,000 is already allocated in his budget to handle the first-year fee and part of the start-up costs.

In his commissioner’s report Les Boggs commended the work of dog warden Bill Click for his work at finding homes or rescue groups for the majority of dogs that come through the county shelter.

During the week of April 13 66 dogs were adopted or sent to a rescue agency and for the week of April 20, that number was 20 animals.

“This is a reversal of what we used to have,” Boggs said. “Bill Click has worked hard to change the image and actions (at the shelter).”

To enable the shelter to provide rabies shots and inoculations for puppies and dogs before they are adopted out, the commission approved raising the adoption fee from $25 to $30 per animal.

“With this extra it will give the inoculations to the dog before it ever goes out the door,” Boggs said. “It is a good deal for the person adopting, for us and especially for the dog.”

In other action the commissioners:

• Approved a change order in the amount of $10,350 for the Intermountain road project at The Point industrial park;

• Proclaimed May as Older Americans Month in Lawrence County;

• Declared May 20 as Erma Roberts Dailey Day;

• Received dog warden reports for the week of April 13 where 66 dogs were adopted or sent to rescue; two were destroyed; and none redeemed by owners; and the report for April 20 where 20 dogs were adopted or sent to rescue; none destroyed; and two redeemed by owners.