Nathan Mayberg reports in the Register Star the Columbia County Board of Supervisors is split on the proposed levy of a mobile phone surcharge on county residents. The proposed 30-cent per month charge would help underwrite repairs and upgrades to the county's emergency response system. The system repairs alone could cost more than $400,000. In a meeting Wed., Dec. 12, county 911 Coordinator Rob Lopez explained the surcharge is needed to make up for lost revenue from the diminishing use of landlines. Public comments from the supervisors were mixed. Columbia County is one of only five counties in New York currently without a 911 surcharge. Read the full story in the Register Star.