Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the Public Safety 911 topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
Commissioners keep Columbus County 911 center under county management after heated debate
Summary
The Columbus County Board of Commissioners voted to retain oversight of the county 911 call center under county management after discussion about staffing, performance metrics and requests from the sheriff’s office to transfer authority.
The Columbus County Board of Commissioners voted to keep the county 911 call center under county management following a broad discussion about staffing, response metrics and governance.
The sheriff’s office requested consideration of transferring the 911 center to the sheriff’s authority; the sheriff and supporters expressed concerns about accountability and communication between the center and law enforcement. Several commissioners said the proposal required more study and recommended denying the transfer while the county pursues other steps to address identified issues.
Emergency services and county staff described the 911 operation as meeting state performance requirements for call-answering time in recent months but acknowledged staffing shortages. Kaye Stevens (emergency services/911 lead) reported recent data showing the center answered 4,151 calls in December and met the state standard for answering 90% of calls within 10 seconds for that month. County staff further reported that 911 personnel handled tens of thousands of calls annually and that staffing turnover has created challenges.
Speakers urged protecting current 911 employees’ job security and benefits. Several commissioners and county staff emphasized that the county is recruiting and training additional staff, cross-training personnel from other departments, and planning compensation adjustments to reduce overtime and improve retention.
Board members also noted that a committee formed last September to address 911 coordination with law enforcement had limited participation from invited law-enforcement representatives, and that cooperation across agencies would be needed regardless of governance.
After debate, the board approved a motion to keep the 911 center under county management, while directing the county manager and emergency services leadership to continue recruitment, staffing improvements and to report back on progress. Commissioners also discussed potential pay adjustments to lower overtime costs by hiring additional staff.
