Allegany County approves hires to fill law-enforcement and probation vacancies
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Summary
The Allegany County board voted to fill multiple law-enforcement vacancies — three corporal posts, one emergency dispatcher and two deputy sheriff positions — and authorized steps to fill the director of probation seat, citing staffing shortfalls and imminent retirements.
Allegany County officials voted to fill several law-enforcement and probation vacancies during their regular session. The board approved requests to hire three vacant corporal positions, one emergency services dispatcher and two deputy sheriff positions, and authorized initiating the process to replace the director of probation following his announced retirement.
Speaker 3 explained the three corporal vacancies were created by two promotions and one voluntary demotion and confirmed the positions are included in the budget. The board moved and approved filling those positions (motion moved by Whitney).
On the dispatcher vacancy, Speaker 3 told the board that "with discovery laws, with FOIL requests, it's gotten to a point where we really need another ... dispatcher to assist," citing the administrative burden of transcribing 911 calls for evidentiary purposes. The board approved filling one dispatcher position.
Regarding deputy sheriff hires, Speaker 3 said the county had seven current deputy vacancies and recently conducted both a promotional exam and an open competitive exam, producing a larger-than-expected candidate list. He warned the county faces a retirement wave this summer among deputies hired about 25 years ago, and said the two requested deputy positions are 100% county-funded. Board members discussed the budgeted per-position amount of $98,208.29 and confirmed benefits were included in the figure; the motion to fill the two deputies carried.
On probation services, Speaker 5 said Director of Probation Mr. Grant plans to retire soon. The director's position is a civil-service tested role; the county's current eligible list contains two names (fewer than the three needed to make the list mandatory). The board approved initiating the process to fill the director of probation vacancy.
Before adjourning to executive session, the chair requested an additional executive-session item; the motion was seconded.
The board's approvals were procedural votes taken during the meeting; no additional policy changes were adopted in connection with the hires. Next steps include standard hiring and civil-service procedures for the probation director and personnel actions for the sworn positions.
