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E‑911 budget proposes in‑house coordinator after long‑time contractor retires
Summary
E‑911 staff proposed moving from a contracted coordinator to a county employee after the contractor who managed grants and 911 maintenance retired; the recommended in‑house salary and one‑time overlap raised questions about contract carryover and grant maintenance costs.
The county’s E‑911 budget presentation flagged a staffing change: the long‑time contracted 911 coordinator, Tim Gunlock, is retiring and staff recommended hiring an in‑house 9‑1‑1 coordinator to replace those services. Chief (E‑911) said the prior contractor cost the county approximately $36,000 per year ($3,000/month) and that the proposed salary for an in‑house coordinator is $68,124, set using the county’s salary study.
Staff explained the change would shift recurring contracted costs into a personnel line; the draft budget includes three months of overlap in the contracted‑services line to allow transition timing. Commissioners asked for clarification of the $36,000 contracted amount and whether the budget correctly reflected only a short overlap or the full prior annual cost. County staff said the $36,000 was placed in the budget for three months as an overlap while the new hire is onboarded and that the salary figure came from an internal compensation study.
Chief described that much of the county’s E‑911 operating and capital costs have historically been grant‑funded and that the addition of a coordinator is intended to maintain the grant pipeline and manage the state funding the county receives for 9‑1‑1 maintenance. Commissioners sought alternatives (promotion from dispatch staff vs. external hire) and asked staff to refine the budget lines to reflect a three‑month transition rather than a full year of duplication.
No formal action was taken; staff agreed to correct line‑item details and return with revised budget language that clarifies the expected short overlap and how grants and maintenance costs will be covered.
