Burke County commissioners reached a consensus during the work session to add recurring funding for one part‑time kennel assistant at the animal shelter, to approve a regrade and supervisory upgrade in the 911 communications center, and not to create automatic hourly on‑call pay for those departments. Staff said the net annual budget increase from the moves is roughly $30,000.

The board discussed whether to buy camera equipment for the animal shelter or add staff. After hearing from Chad (animal services), the board agreed to remove the $20,000 camera purchase from the recommended budget and use that money to fund a recurring part‑time position to assist kennel operations. “If we’re giving up the cameras, I wouldn’t have an issue adding 1 part time employee,” Chad said on the record.

Separately, 911 leadership proposed restructuring shifts and adding a chief dispatcher (a salaried, exempt position) so that four trained staff are available on each shift and overtime would be reduced. Lacey, who presented 911’s request, and county finance staff calculated that upgrading certain dispatcher positions and reassigning a supervisor would create a net personnel increase; preliminary numbers shown in the packet put the combined 911 upgrade impact at about $46,000, with some overtime savings estimated over time. The board’s consensus was to fund those 911 positions but not to add routine hourly on‑call pay for either department; one board member summarized the decision: “the consensus… is to fund both of them, but no on call. So we're talking about a $30,000” increase to the budget, the chair said.

The board asked staff to finalize the dollar amounts and to include the agreed items in the recommended budget. The personnel changes and the camera purchase trade‑off were handled as budget direction rather than a formal adoption; staff will prepare line‑item updates for the next meeting.