Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the Public Safety 911 topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
Trumbull County commissioners hear dire staffing report from 9-1-1; consider new dispatch center and funding options
Summary
Commissioners were told of high turnover, hazardous conditions in the existing 9-1-1 center and staffing shortages that officials say threaten service levels; the board discussed possible funding paths including loans and future levies but took no formal action.
Trumbull County commissioners heard an extended briefing on the county's 9-1-1 operations during their meeting, including high staff turnover, facility problems and the prospect of building a new dispatch center.
The county's resources director, Alex Stephen Johnson, and 9-1-1 managers described sustained losses of trained telecommunicators, difficult working conditions in the current facility and the limits of existing funding. Officials said the center lacks natural light, has limited break space, and staff have raised concerns about asbestos and morale. Alex Stephen Johnson, resources director, told commissioners, “I invite you and Fisher Bernard both to come down and see the 9-1-1 center sometime and see what they deal with.”
The briefing outlined several consequences: repeated recruitment and training cycles, a shortage of staff able to handle fast-paced emergency dispatch work, and the expiration of some ARPA-funded support later this year. Managers said that despite pay offers, many candidates leave for jobs with more predictable hours or better work-life balance.
Commissioners and 9-1-1 staff discussed possible near-term and long-term responses. Suggestions included: pursuing a capital plan that could include borrowing, seeking grant funding, using ARPA or other one-time funds as a bridge, and placing a future levy before voters. No motions were made and no binding decision was taken at the meeting.
Commissioners asked staff to gather more detailed cost estimates, verify the condition and testing results for asbestos in the existing facility, and return with a written plan and budget options. Several commissioners said they would visit the dispatch center before making funding decisions.
The discussion underscored that any overhaul would require both capital (a new or renovated facility) and ongoing operating funds to retain trained telecommunicators. Officials said they will present more detailed options at a future meeting and that some ARPA money earmarked for public safety has already been used in recruitment and equipment upgrades.
For now, commissioners directed staff to provide a short list of funding scenarios and timelines for project development so the board can schedule formal consideration later this summer.
