WC911 adopts microcall software system

BRENHAM — The Washington County Commissioners Court has unanimously approved the purchase of a three-year software subscription to upgrade and centralize call detail reporting for 911 dispatch and countywide operations.

The Microcall software system, presented during the court's meeting, introduces automated call tracking and granular analytics to address long-standing inaccuracies in call data logging.

Interim Washington County 911 Director Raleigh Wellmann outlined the critical shift from the county’s current setup to the automated Microcall platform. Under the previous method, non-emergency and emergency incoming calls required manual tallying, often inflating figures due to system-transfers between telecommunicators (TCOs).

"The main problem we're having today is the system we're currently utilizing is all manual. So we're having to manually count our non-emergency numbers; therefore, some are being duplicated because if one person answers it and transfers it to another TCO, it's counting as two calls," Wellmann explained. "Where Microcall would separate them and show multiple legs or transfers would equal one call, one unique call. So then, therefore, providing more accurate numbers to Commissioners Court and the public."

Beyond streamlining numbers, the reporting system captures call dates, timestamps, phone numbers, recipient extensions, call duration, inbound/outbound status, and transfer paths.

Wellmann emphasized how this detailed reporting will establish measurable performance benchmarks within emergency communications:

"For 911 in particular, it will allow us to set a standard of answer times. Ours being 10 seconds, but the national standard being 15," Wellmann said. "So with that, if we have the data to back it up, then we can structure our people and we can hold them accountable to meet that standard."

She added that historical data and forecasting capabilities will support future budget allocations and staffing adjustments during major weather or community events:

"If we have this in place, if there's some sort of trend we're seeing—an increase in call volume, it could help us give justification for funds in the future of certain programs, technology enhancements, personnel, etc,” Wellmann said.

The agreement secures a three-year prepaid subscription for just over $10,000, delivering a roughly 40% discount compared to annual billing cycles (originally estimated around $16,500 over three years).

Information Technology Director Information added that the enterprise platform comes equipped with 700 seats, allowing every county department, not just 911 dispatch, to leverage real-time Key Performance Indicator (KPI) dashboards without additional licensing fees.

Following the presentation and discussion, the Commissioners Court voted unanimously to authorize County Judge John Durrenberger to execute the purchase agreement.