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9‑1‑1 director requests third supervisor; board approves additional supervisory position
Summary
Van Buren County 9‑1‑1 director requested adding a third supervisor position to improve quality assurance, training and CJIS oversight. The board approved the request and staff will promote from within and recruit to fill the resulting dispatcher vacancy.
Van Buren County 9‑1‑1 Director Timothy told the Board of Commissioners on May 13 that the dispatch center needs a third supervisor to handle quality assurance, training coordination and criminal justice information system (CJIS) oversight, and the board approved adding the position.
Timothy explained that the center’s staffing has been filled for the first time in a decade but supervisors have had to work open dispatch positions, preventing adequate supervisory duties. He described the workload for quality assurance — listening to calls and radio traffic and reviewing about 25% of calls under national standards — and said the current staff cannot meet that level of review while also filling operational slots.
He said the center is funded by surcharge dollars (not millage or general fund) and that supervisors must also maintain operator certifications. Timothy recommended promoting from within to fill the supervisor role, which would open a dispatcher vacancy to be filled from the applicant pool. From a budget standpoint, he estimated a current-year cost (partial-year) of about $24,500 and a full fiscal‑year 2025–26 impact between $95,000 and $120,000 depending on benefits and insurance costs.
Commissioners asked about the hiring plan and whether the supervisor would still perform operational work when needed; Timothy confirmed supervisors will retain operator qualifications and periodically fill positions. The board approved the staffing request by voice vote.
Ending: The director will promote from within, begin the interview process and recruit to fill the open dispatcher position; Human Resources will process the position and budget adjustments as needed.
