Council approves pay-grade realignment and organizational changes for PSAP dispatch center

The Minot City Council unanimously approved on April 7 an organizational restructuring and pay-grade realignment for the city’s PSAP dispatch center intended to address staffing, training and morale problems identified in recent reviews.

Chief Kelly described a months-long assessment that included one-on-one meetings with dispatch staff, study visits to other centers (Williston, Grand Forks, Fargo and Bismarck) and creation of working groups on schedules and policies. Recommendations included renaming lead dispatchers as “shift supervisors,” empowering them with supervisory responsibilities and training in developmental counseling and leadership skills.

Chief Kelly told the council the changes are meant to reduce friction, distribute supervisory responsibilities and improve retention. “We renamed the lead dispatchers to shift supervisors…we’ve started empowering them to be more involved in developmental counseling,” he said, adding that the department is recruiting dispatchers and shift supervisors and expanding peer-support and mental-health resources for staff.

Alderman Paul Fuller praised staff for turning issues identified in earlier reports into an actionable plan. The restructuring was approved unanimously; council directed staff to implement the pay-grade realignment and return with necessary administrative changes and hiring steps.

City staff said the realignment had been benchmarked against regional centers and coordinated with HR to set pay structure and reporting lines; the shift supervisors would report directly to the city manager’s designee until permanent reporting lines are finalized.