A $10.9 million lawsuit Butler County filed against 15 telephone providers for not billing and collecting 911 assessment fees is on hold pending a decision in Delaware County.

Attorney Joshua Wolson of the Philadelphia firm Dilworth Paxson, which represents the county, said the case is on hold due to a coordination proceeding in Delaware County.

“There's a whole bunch of counties that filed different lawsuits,” Wolson said.

He said those counties, beginning with Delaware, have sued the phone companies for 911 funds, so the various lawsuits are being coordinated.

Butler County Judge Marilyn Horan on June 7 ruled that arguments on preliminary objections for Butler's lawsuit will wait until the coordination issue is resolved.

The county lawsuit, which was filed in February, seeks to recover six years of funds. The fee is tacked onto phone bills to help pay for 911 dispatch center operations.

Steve Bicehouse, county emergency services director, said the fees are vital to maintain the 911 system.

“They are the bulk of our funding,” he said. “They are extremely essential.” A complete report appears in Tuesday's Butler Eagle.