Meade County commissioners voted to add two full‑time equivalents to the county 911 communications center, aiming to reduce overtime and cover frequent resignations.

Deborah Bransford, Meade County HR, told the commission the two FTEs would allow the operation to cover vacations and unexpected call‑offs without relying solely on overtime. She said the proposed staffing level would provide about 18,720 hours of operator coverage while leaving roughly 1,200 hours for vacation, sick leave and training.

"These 2 FTEs are gonna make a huge difference for us," said JJ, the communications representative, who also reported recent turnover: one resignation pending, one departure last month and an expectation of up to four resignations over the next two months. JJ said recruiting and training new dispatchers to work independently at monitor stations is time‑consuming.

An auditor‑office representative noted the department had incurred about $94,000 in overtime this year and asked whether burnout was driving departures. JJ responded that many employees were leaving for perceived career steps—analyst positions and law enforcement offers—and not solely because of local conditions.

Commissioners discussed the budgetary effects and longer‑term options. Speaker 6 raised the prospect of consolidation with other jurisdictions if staffing shortages persist, saying they have been opposed to multi‑county dispatch centers unless Meade County remained the hub. JJ said the statewide 911 surcharge has risen from $1.25 to $2, producing more revenue but that a consolidation survey is underway and questions about local control remain.

During discussion, commissioners emphasized the need to monitor whether the new positions reduce overtime as intended and to keep partner jurisdictions—such as the city of Sturgis—advised about likely cost changes. Speaker 4 moved to approve the two FTEs; Speaker 1 seconded. The commission adopted the motion by voice vote.

Next steps: the county will fill the approved positions, monitor overtime and staffing metrics over time, and continue examining consolidation and funding issues raised in the discussion.