Latah County Halts Toll-Free Service

Latah County residents living outside of Moscow will resume paying the long-distance charges for calling county government.

The commissioners Monday voted to discontinue toll-free telephone service, effective April 1, to save money. The service is estimated to cost about $5,000 a year.

“The general populace calls the courthouse once or twice a year and I don’t think they mind paying a toll,” Commissioner Harry DeWitt said. “We just can’t afford to provide all the luxuries to everybody.”

Commissioner Shirley Greene, who cast the dissenting vote, said there will be many rural people who are upset the service is gone.

Commissioner Thomas Spangler pointed to a December telephone bill which included calls of more than 50 minutes or many from the same phone number.

Carol Alexander, a rural resident, told DeWitt he represented her district and that it is a disservice to her to discontinue the toll-free number.

“It’s your choice to live in Troy,” DeWitt responded.