Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the Public Safety topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
Mendon council approves phased increase to county 9-1-1 dispatch fee to shore up staffing
Summary
Mendon City Council approved joining other municipalities in a proposed increase to the county 9-1-1 dispatch fee, a multi-year, phased hike county dispatch leaders say is needed to raise wages and rebuild staffing as call volume grows.
Mendon City Council on March 13 approved a multi-year increase to the countywide 9-1-1 dispatch fee after a presentation from the county dispatch director urging higher utility-billed fees to address chronic staffing shortages.
Christie Walker, the county 9-1-1 director, told the council the dispatch center is down positions and struggling to recruit, saying, “We are down 5 full time dispatchers at this time.” Walker said the center currently funds 20 full‑time positions but has only 14 active dispatchers and one in training, and described wage competition from neighboring jurisdictions: “For example, Box Elder, they offer $27.5 for a full time dispatcher starting wage... Our starting wage is $22.85.”
Walker said call volume has increased markedly — from about 38,000 calls in 2013 to roughly 58,000 calls in 2024 — while staffing remained effectively the same. To address wages and retention the dispatch center proposed an amendment to the interlocal agreement that would raise the residential fee billed on utility statements by an initial 30¢ July 1, 2025, followed by smaller increases (about 10¢) on July 1 of 2026–2028 and roughly 11¢ on July 1, 2029, totaling about 71¢ per household per month over five years.
Council members asked for clarifications on the schedule and whether every city must approve the amendment; Walker said the change is an “all or nothing deal” and that each city’s leadership must approve the amendment for the increase to take effect. The mayor and council discussed the proposal and then made a motion to approve the schedule of increases. The council voted by voice to approve the amendment; the motion passed and the city will sign the interlocal amendment and coordinate with the dispatch center to implement billing changes.
Why it matters: dispatch leaders say the proposed additional revenue is earmarked primarily for wages to attract and retain qualified dispatchers and to restore positions the center has cut in recent years. The agreement would raise monthly costs for households across the participating jurisdictions if adopted by all cities.
What comes next: County dispatch staff said they are visiting each participating city; Mendon is about midway through that outreach. The amendment must be approved by each participating city to take effect. Walker invited council members to tour the dispatch center in Logan to see operations and staffing needs firsthand.
