Walsh County debates moving dispatch to state radio; officials plan stakeholder meeting

County dispatch manager Crystal presented a set of 2026 budget scenarios and cost estimates for the county’s dispatch center and for shifting to the state radio system, saying the county’s 2026 dispatch budget (including benefits and a vacant position) would be roughly $587,695 to $617,005 depending on benefit elections and whether a seventh dispatcher is filled.

Crystal told commissioners that state radio circuit and service costs have been estimated at about $218,000 (one cited figure) and that, after counting offsets such as toll‑fee reimbursements and continued department costs, the county’s total state‑radio cost range might be higher (she cited an adjusted range later in the presentation). She also said estimated one‑time costs to replace building panic/alarm buttons with a monitored third‑party system were roughly $22,900 for installation and an annual monitoring fee on the order of $1,200; those figures came from a vendor quote and are presented as planning estimates.

Commissioners discussed the projected savings from moving to the state system and the operational impacts. Crystal said a rough estimate of total savings from discontinuing the local dispatch center could be in the $350,000–$356,000 range, but she cautioned savings depend on personnel decisions (for example, whether admin positions are retained) and on continuing miscellaneous platform costs such as recorders, CAD, and circuit/call‑handling fees. Crystal also noted some recorder and radio‑recorder equipment may still be needed or replaced if the county keeps local dispatch.

Several commissioners and county staff said they want more input from emergency responders. Commissioner Bernie and others asked that local fire and ambulance services be invited to a discussion; Commissioner Kenny (speaking as a commissioner) and committee members said first responders they had contacted were largely opposed to moving to state radio, while others said people who work under both systems described neutral experiences. Sheriff Ron’s staff and deputies were cited as stakeholders to consult.

Commissioners discussed operational tradeoffs including 24/7 monitoring, who would answer administrative lines at night, and how existing admin calls would be handled if the county discontinues local dispatch. County staff proposed possible staffing configurations if the county moved away from a 24/7 staffed dispatch center — for example, reassigning some calls to administrator staff who would not necessarily be on site 24/7 — and said these choices would affect net savings.

The commission directed staff to arrange a special evening meeting in mid‑ to late October (after harvest and local events) to bring in first responders and representatives from state radio or counties that have made the transition. Commissioners said they want both sides in the room (local responders and state radio representatives) and to receive more detailed, itemized cost breakdowns before making a final decision.

Ending: Commissioners committed to scheduling follow‑up meetings with first responders and to return with more detailed, itemized budget comparisons and vendor quotes before taking any final action on dispatch consolidation.