The board overseeing St. Francois and Ste. Genevieve countiesâ 911 operations used its Dec. 17 meeting to discuss the Simms Mountain Tower project and an initiative to be placed on the April 6 ballot. The taxpayers in the 911 service region approved a 3/8-cent sales tax in 2014 that has been the 911 centerâs chief source of revenue since landlines lost popularity more than a decade ago. The money has been used for a variety of major projects, including improving and expanding the centerâs once-outdated facility and updating the systemâs technology and software. Set to sunset next year, the board is hoping taxpayers agree to continue the less-than-half-cent tax, this time without sunset, to continue funding their emergency services to St. Francois, Ste. Genevieve and Reynolds counties.