“Can you put a dollar figure on that?” Hines asked. “2-1-1 is an investment for our district.”

Hines said he’s endorsing the program because he knows it works.

“Folks, the reason I’m here tonight is public health,” said Hines. “That’s the investment you make as leaders. We believe we want to give this system a try because it helps our citizens.”

Commissioner chair Michael Gage asked when people call are they directly connected to the service or do they give them a number to call.

Nygaard said it depends; the service operator may give a number but does have the availability to transfer the caller and send them directly through. She said some residents may be calling for information, such as asking for library hours of operation.

The funding would pay for 24-7 availability and also for interpreters in case a caller is non-English speaking as well as the management of the database.

Commissioner Ted Owens suggested the county take it under consideration and asked that representatives get back to commissioners to update the board what other funding it has received.

If funded, the program would be out of the county’s next fiscal year budget, which begins July 1. Nygaard said organizers would like to launch the program on July 1 this year.