[{"_1":2,"_99":-5,"_100":-5},"loaderData",{"_3":4,"_26":27},"root",{"_5":6,"_17":10,"_18":19,"_20":21,"_22":10,"_23":-5,"_24":-5,"_25":10},"user",{"_7":8,"_9":10,"_11":10,"_12":-5,"_13":-5,"_14":15,"_16":-5},"roles",[],"isAuthenticated",false,"isPremium","planName","subscriptionStatus","featureFlags",{},"insightsBudget","isDevelopmentHost","userPreferences",{},"recaptchaSiteKey","6LcvOJcUAAAAAHsB-gPGfGktcRlKpH7OTIU_dMTD","isImpersonating","impersonation","affiliateStatus","isFreedomPortal","routes/v2/article/layout",{"_28":29,"_30":31},"notFound",true,"relatedArticles",[32,75,87],{"_33":34,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":40,"_41":42,"_43":44,"_45":46,"_47":48,"_49":50,"_51":52,"_53":54,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":60,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":66,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},"mediaId",6254963,"mediaKeyId","3168597-f676f9814a4740a330e680310bb86ce1","parentId",3168597,"title","Davidson County moves on 9‑1‑1/EMS pay and recruitment measures; board approves headhunter extension and data tracking","audioSeconds",5710,"startMs",3905000,"endMs",9615000,"viewUrl","/Search/View?dp=1&key=3168597-f676f9814a4740a330e680310bb86ce1&start=3905&end=9615","thumbnailUrl","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/3168597-f676f9814a4740a330e680310bb86ce1/thumbnail_3905000.jpg","articleUrl","/articles/6254963/Davidson-County/North-Carolina/Davidson-County-moves-on-911EMS-pay-and-recruitment-measures-board-approves-headhunter-extension-and-data-tracking","mediaUrl","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6254963-9efb94dd3d211d8134aa04f45af7daf5/orig.mp4?Expires=1771046446&Signature=FZtrClUXT8KyymhCZA-O-Be8-9dDhk4OItr88r4zGATx5LU6RsYQQrP8UXC~BMRryU7csn-X1clch~2eQ5AoluEdb7V9sP2kXmtK7i2OT1kAYF2a9kmOYbwrwdLbR4BWaPvO2vthRFtQmwUCpHh6lBNo7oYMyGC0wE9HPvKE19kKFKYX-TYNj6iySgy~iATpCSqTYd6NN17ehaj26LI2q-~JlMDl3GwkSKWGaqhAGmkng9vm9bGPqU5B6HZHyW2JXj0bJf8~-c05U9-w8l6-b2lzHcTsmX9XsMK6NMHBYoQ26QcBnlxRrNdbJYDJ~PVGviKV73bGuExDN~IjozY-Ag__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","author","Davidson County, NC","date","2025-05-01T16:23:52.947Z","article","Davidson County commissioners on May 1 voted to pursue a mix of pay adjustments and recruitment strategies aimed at reducing vacancies in the county’s 9‑1‑1 call center and emergency-medical services, and they approved an extension of recruitment/placement contracts while asking staff to report back on retention.

Commissioners discussed a prolonged shortage of telecommunicators (TCs) and EMS staff. County 9‑1‑1 and EMS staff described vacancy rates that have crept upward in recent months and attributed recent departures largely to higher pay offers from neighboring centers, hospitals and private ambulance companies. Staff described the competitive regional market: some neighboring jurisdictions — notably High Point and Guilford Metro — have raised starting pay and implemented aggressive pay incentives, which County staff said has increased recruitment pressure.

After deliberation the board signaled support for an immediate pay adjustment intended to improve competitiveness for 9‑1‑1 hiring. Commissioners agreed to increase the starting hourly pay for telecommunicators from the current rate (discussed as approximately $18.08 in the transcript) to $20 per hour, with a night shift differential rising to $23 per hour; commissioners noted the planned state cost-of-living adjustment (COLA) would apply on top of this. The board voted in favor of the adjustment.

On recruitment, county staff briefed the board on the results of recent use of two recruiting firms: one paid per successful hire and another hired under a flat monthly arrangement. Staff reported that the contingency recruiter produced a higher percentage hire rate but at a higher per‑hire cost; the flat-fee firm delivered a lower percentage of hires. The board agreed to continue recruitment contracts for roughly six months and asked staff to track retention for hires secured through those firms, including whether recruits are still employed six months and one year after hire.

Commissioners also approved a bundle of administrative recruitment measures previously used in the county: a referral bonus for employees who refer a successful hire (the structure described by staff is $500 at hire and an additional payment after a one‑year retention milestone), a re‑instated cash‑for‑ride / extra-shift incentive program with a clarified part‑time-hour threshold (part‑time employees would need to meet a 60‑hour minimum to qualify), and a referral effort targeted to paramedics where “refer-a-friend” may have higher returns because of tight professional networks.

The 9‑1‑1 director (Rob) briefed the board on a separate proposal to install Locution, an automated call‑dispatch interface. Rob said the county’s regional 9‑1‑1 board has approved most of the purchase and will cover the annual maintenance; the county would be asked to cover a one-time server/radio interface cost (discussed at about $27,000 in the presentation). Rob said the automated dispatch system is expected to reduce dispatch times for fire and EMS responses and that 9‑1‑1 maintenance costs would be funded through the 9‑1‑1 board’s carryover funds if the board signs the contract.

Board members requested additional performance data, including: vacancy history, academy graduation and retention rates, hires by source (which recruiting firm, in‑house, etc.), and post-hire retention at six months and one year. Commissioners asked that staff return with the requested spreadsheeted data at six‑month intervals to evaluate the effectiveness and cost-effectiveness of recruiters and incentive programs.

On staffing strategy for EMS, commissioners and staff discussed a range of measures — recruitment contracts, part‑time threshold reductions, in‑house training and apprenticeship/partnership models — and emphasized the need to balance hiring incentives against long-term sustainability. Staff noted paramedic recruitment is particularly constrained because hospitals and private employers can offer substantially higher wages for experienced paramedics.

The board approved the recruitment-contract extension and the incentive program trial, and approved the telecommunicator pay adjustment by voice vote; commissioners asked staff to bring back retention metrics and cost estimates for the next six-month review.","mediaType","Video","parentTitle","Davidson County Commissioners Meeting May 1, 2025","oneSentenceSummary","Faced with rising vacancies in the county’s 9‑1‑1 center and EMS, commissioners approved a pay adjustment for telecommunicators, extended contracts with recruitment firms, and directed staff to track retention; staff also described a state-funded automated dispatch (Locution) system proposal that the 9‑1‑1 board would largely fund.","taxTitle","Davidson County, North Carolina","taxId",13707,"location","headline","","shortSummary",{"_33":76,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":77,"_41":78,"_43":79,"_45":80,"_47":81,"_49":82,"_51":83,"_53":84,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":85,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":86,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},6254968,"PTRC workforce team outlines hiring and training grants available to Davidson County employers and government",1008,2108000,3116000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=3168597-f676f9814a4740a330e680310bb86ce1&start=2108&end=3116","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/3168597-f676f9814a4740a330e680310bb86ce1/thumbnail_2108000.jpg","/articles/6254968/Davidson-County/North-Carolina/PTRC-workforce-team-outlines-hiring-and-training-grants-available-to-Davidson-County-employers-and-government","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6254968-6b0fb5206509fb181f861d78634764b4/orig.mp4?Expires=1771046446&Signature=LSqgi9HT76S8eTRi-P0z-7tI4eXJ7olZko-GgrKUS6GY8AhCd0tkm6e6gnLmjetjrpUU0W93rZXx2CxZWgYLWgvtKSAtpyNQwc9Ha2-0UzGwEFlWKz1Sq7fMISiQUjHcQltld1dMF1M10CEgcikK8stig6Dk86CzAJ6uSCquXrLJkTKDjtG4jglMyC595UqO9bIPfwsVMdY2r51mqStg3ZZmXiSc6plEt2dgYW2-PEyuRoeTn6camJqgHg2Iqqwwf7ik9scYSSwEpqXH0Au5xMRIpCFxnE8hemajFscT4egXB-p-lOQ3D5nQeqG3L9s8fYZ1SXZbzWNsujDAjgqmKg__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","At the May 1 meeting, Jacob Thompson, business services coordinator for Davidson County with the Piedmont Triad Regional Council’s (PTRC) Workforce Development Board, briefed commissioners on workforce programs that can help both private employers and local government departments fill and train staff.

Thompson said PTRC covers a 10-county footprint and provides consultative services to employers, including on-the-job training (OJT) wage reimbursement funded under the Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act (WIOA), incumbent worker training grants to cover third-party training costs (for example, CDL or CNA training), labor-market analyses and NCWorks job-posting assistance. He described an OJT wage-reimbursement example: employers can receive partial reimbursement of wages (for example, an illustrative $8 per hour reimbursement up to a defined maximum over a six-month period) for eligible trainees who meet WIOA eligibility criteria.

Michelle Slayton of PTRC (role: workforce staff) said incumbent worker grants typically require the employee to have been with the employer for six months and that PTRC maintains a roster of NCWorks-approved training providers; PTRC can help employers identify cost-sharing and training pathways to upskill incumbents and create entry-level openings that can be funded through OJT.

PTRC staff described mobile “NCWorks” units — vehicles equipped to help residents create resumes, enroll in services and apply for jobs — and offered to bring the mobile unit to Thomasville, Denton or local high schools to increase program visibility and outreach. Thompson said PTRC conducts rapid-response services for layoffs, convening community partners (community college, DSS, unemployment offices) and organizing job fairs.

Commissioners and county staff asked about funding amounts and county allocations. PTRC staff said some funding flows regionally and is allocated by need; they said the workforce board had not been forced to deny businesses for lack of funds in the recent past. Thompson said some new state direction is encouraging apprenticeships and that PTRC is exploring pairing WIOA funding with local apprenticeship efforts. Commissioners asked PTRC to provide a simplified brochure for local employers and to return with county-specific allocation numbers for planning.

Thompson and Slayton also noted outreach plans to local employer consortia (for example, the Davidson‑Davie Apprenticeship Consortium) and community-college partners to promote apprenticeship pathways, CDL and welding training, and next-step placements for program graduates.

County staff and commissioners expressed particular interest in using PTRC’s mobile unit to host resume workshops, job fairs and targeted outreach at high schools and community sites; PTRC offered quarterly or on-demand visits. Commissioners also flagged the need to coordinate with the county’s economic development and human-resources staff on recruitment and onboarding supports.

PTRC representatives committed to provide: a concise brochure describing employer-facing programs, county-level allocation figures, and follow-up engagement with local employer groups.","Piedmont Triad Regional Council workforce staff described on-the-job training reimbursements, incumbent worker grants, mobile NCWorks units and rapid response services available to employers and county departments; commissioners asked for a simplified brochure and local allocation details.",{"_33":88,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":89,"_41":90,"_43":91,"_45":92,"_47":93,"_49":94,"_51":95,"_53":96,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":97,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":98,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},6254972,"Davidson County accepts NCDOT-funded microtransit feasibility study, no commitment to launch service",1354,706000,2060000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=3168597-f676f9814a4740a330e680310bb86ce1&start=706&end=2060","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/3168597-f676f9814a4740a330e680310bb86ce1/thumbnail_706000.jpg","/articles/6254972/Davidson-County/North-Carolina/Davidson-County-accepts-NCDOT-funded-microtransit-feasibility-study-no-commitment-to-launch-service","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6254972-4ef488b793da5da652e8954f1fe69e96/orig.mp4?Expires=1771046446&Signature=lQJn4nDcjP2wo35AaZK6lZxPqa-Up6szFk5Zgh9Wnrwni2BVTZ-7fTb2NlVAUQDzt3CebGwJsYY5dgz13NuuPr9ERxcT7oWR74kC1Cmpkd8vVqvLBubS8WXrQ-6RIOY1cfU--y~GLjWgJP~8mDzlhmJOLRg~5BgUietjBenmS91U7dqxcrGIJ-U2wKrNdz0gZst2umACAT6ykdmadKfOQgWcnCIMsKU-8SepnbKq3lfX9MaRSUrRZU6NLafieemjEQE4AC13NwAQFI2y5ZxKeNw9D32KPmJ6ZDZHCc1fr~Hb8NV~4UkmTJ7y8wRBuK7v4YITMXKbgRmaFgEX2iUzMg__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","Davidson County commissioners on May 1 accepted a microtransit feasibility study prepared by AECOM and funded by the North Carolina Department of Transportation’s Integrated Mobility Division (IMD), but made clear that accepting the report does not commit the county to create or fund service.

The report, presented by AECOM consultants Erin Matthews and Adam (surname not provided), assessed whether on-demand, app- or phone-requested “microtransit” could be integrated with the county’s existing deviated fixed routes and demand-response service. Erin Matthews said the study examined public engagement, potential service zones, cost estimates and funding options and recommended pilot approaches and funding scenarios.

The feasibility study describes microtransit as a shared, accessible on-demand service similar in user experience to ride-hail apps but designed to meet public-transit standards: vehicles and operators that can accommodate wheelchairs or riders without smartphones; flat or fare-free pricing rather than dynamic pricing; and zone-based operations intended to complement — not replace — Davidson County Transit System’s (DCTS) existing fixed routes and 48‑hour advance demand-response service. The consultants said microtransit would be most useful for spontaneous trips such as work commutes when a personal vehicle is not available.

Commissioners and staff pressed presenters on operating costs and long-term funding. County transit staff explained the study was entirely grant-funded through NCDOT IMD and that no local funds were required to produce the report. Consultants and staff pointed to possible funding sources including recurring state programs (including a “capital cost of contracting” program that rewards contracted service) and periodic discretionary federal grants through the Federal Transit Administration. Presenters and commissioners acknowledged that some discretionary grants are one-time awards and that the county would need an ongoing funding strategy if it chose to operate microtransit.

Several commissioners voiced concerns about competition with private ride-hail services and the effect of subsidized public rides on local businesses. One commissioner asked whether the program would enable people of all incomes to use the service; staff replied that most DCTS services are available to any Davidson County resident, though some state funds (for example, EDTAP) are restricted to older adults or people with disabilities. Staff also said microtransit is typically operated inside defined geographic zones, which changes the competitive dynamics compared with Uber/Lyft.

The board’s action was limited to accepting the study. A motion to accept the report was made and seconded; the board voted in favor with no recorded opposition. County staff said acceptance does not obligate the county to implement microtransit and that commissioners would have future opportunities to review costs and pilot options before making operational or budgetary commitments. Staff said they would return with more detailed cost, zone and pilot information if the board wants to consider next steps.

Staff and consultants emphasized engagement findings — two focus groups, a public drop‑in event, a public survey and stakeholder interviews — and suggested a phased pilot (one zone at a time) to limit initial expenditures and demonstrate demand.

The board’s acceptance leaves open typical follow-up work: evaluating recurring funding sources, designing a pilot, negotiating operating contracts and identifying any required changes to fares or eligibility rules.

The county’s transit staff and AECOM said they will make the full report available for commissioner review and will return for further discussion if the board chooses to pursue a pilot.","The Board of Commissioners voted to accept a microtransit feasibility report prepared by AECOM with funding from NCDOT’s Integrated Mobility Division; the acceptance carries no obligation to implement the service and commissioners raised questions about ongoing operating costs and eligibility rules.","actionData","errors"]

Article not found

Davidson County moves on 9‑1‑1/EMS pay and recruitment measures; board approves headhunter extension and data tracking

PTRC workforce team outlines hiring and training grants available to Davidson County employers and government

Davidson County accepts NCDOT-funded microtransit feasibility study, no commitment to launch service