Northampton Board sends proposal for joint 911 Commission to public hearing

The Northampton County Board of Supervisors is moving forward with a proposed amendment to the joint resolution that create the E911 Commission, which oversees emergency communications for both Accomack and Northampton Counties.

For several years, the commission has discussed the need to formalize and update the agreement. The proposed amendment would incorporate a funding mechanism that has long operated under an informal understanding between the two counties.

A key provision of the amendment ties the salaries and fringe benefits of E911 employees to Northampton County’s compensation scale. County Administrator Charlie Kolakowski noted that the current system often creates a cycle of competing pay raises, with both counties and the E911 Commission attempting to match each other. The change is intended to stabilize pay levels, reduce competition for the same employees, and strengthen recruitment and retention.

The Supervisors indicated support for the amendment and agreed to advance it to a public hearing stage.