Clay County recognizes public-safety telecommunicators and marks National Work Zone Awareness Week

The Clay County Commission presented an honorary resolution recognizing Public Safety Telecommunicators Week and heard a briefing marking National Work Zone Awareness Week.

Commissioner Johnson introduced the telecommunicators resolution and invited dispatch staff forward to accept the recognition. Kim Hunter, communication supervisor, and Tanya Turner, lead dispatcher, spoke briefly at the podium. Commissioner Johnson described the demands of dispatcher work—handling high-stress 911 calls, coordinating units and sometimes giving life-saving instructions by phone—and estimated dispatchers handle between roughly 75,000 and 95,000 calls a year in the county, or about 260 calls per day on the upper end.

The commission also observed National Work Zone Awareness Week, read as Resolution 2025-131, and heard a presentation from Tom Degenhardt, road bridge director. Degenhardt reviewed the week’s events (work-zone safety training day, a national kickoff event, a go-orange day and a moment of silence for work-zone fatalities) and urged motorists to “respect the zone.” The administrator cited Missouri Department of Transportation figures for the state: 17 work-zone fatalities and 2,077 work-zone crashes in the referenced year.

Commissioners thanked staff and the public-safety and road-crew workers for their work and urged motorists to exercise patience and caution around work zones. No formal votes on policy or funding followed the ceremonial presentations during the meeting; these were recognition and awareness items.

Ending: The county presented the resolutions and accepted remarks from communications and road-bridge staff. Commissioners used the moment to underscore public appreciation for dispatchers and road crews and to encourage safety while work zones are active.