Lake County E‑911 Authority reports new hire, training plans and pay differentials as part of staffing push

The Lake County E‑911 Authority on Jan. 3 said it had extended a conditional offer to a candidate for a dispatcher position and discussed broader recruitment, retention and training plans.

Staff reported that an offered candidate, identified in the meeting as Mariana (last name inconsistently reported in the transcript as Hernandez and Fernandez), accepted a conditional offer pending a psychological exam and physical; staff hoped to start the candidate around Jan. 20 if pre‑employment checks are completed. The authority characterized the candidate as bilingual and praised her performance in interview scenarios.

The board and staff discussed training and workforce development: two current dispatch staff, Mary and Daniela, have expressed interest in attending a Communications Training Officer (CTO) course in February in Colorado Springs. The authority said attaining CTO certification would carry a 3% salary differential for staff who complete the training and assume trainer duties.

Members also discussed establishing clear standards and testing for bilingual pay incentives. Staff noted that county HR has researched bilingual pay programs and that internal and external testing (including locally developed standards and commercially available tests) could be used to establish qualification levels for pay differentials. The board asked staff to consult county HR and the Department of Human Services’ interpreter network about existing programs and to return with a proposal.

On retention, members said staff morale appeared positive and asked that an incentive pool be revisited; topics included bilingual pay, CTO/trainer differentials, IT differentials, and a potential night‑shift differential. The authority directed staff to put the incentive structure on a future agenda for a board decision. The meeting did not include a formal vote on compensation changes.