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Lee's Summit dispatcher urges pay parity ahead of co‑location with fire dispatch
Summary
A lead communications specialist for Lee's Summit Police Department told the committee that a longstanding pay disparity between police and fire dispatchers has driven attrition and risks morale and service as the two groups prepare to co-locate May 26; she urged correction before collocation.
During the public-comment portion of the finance committee meeting, Elizabeth Hoon, who identified herself as a lead communications specialist with the Lee's Summit Police Department and a nearly 20-year employee, asked the city to address a pay disparity between police and fire dispatchers before the departments co-locate in a joint operations center May 26.
Hoon said the pay gap previously contributed to low morale and significant attrition: of nine dispatchers who worked through a prior period of pay disparity, only four remain. She reported two resignations in the previous month and said current staffing stands at 15 dispatchers plus one in training against an authorized staffing level of 22.
Hoon said combining the two dispatch groups while a pay gap remains risks creating an "us versus them" environment that could undermine teamwork and service delivery. She asked the committee to correct the disparity before co-location to avoid long-term cultural and operational harm.
Committee members thanked Hoon and acknowledged the concern; committee discussion later referenced dispatcher pay when reviewing budget scenarios and vacancy-savings approaches. No immediate corrective action was voted on during the meeting; the committee requested staff include personnel considerations in the May 18 follow-up presentation.
