Decatur County dispatchers to move to Motorola digital system; go‑live slated for June 8

The Decatur County emergency communications director said the county will complete a phased upgrade to a Motorola digital 911 system, with installations starting May 18, configuration the week of May 26 and dispatcher training in the first week of June ahead of a planned go‑live June 8.

The director told the board the county’s statewide fund balance stood at $352,371 and that the county had previously received a quote of about $70,000 to upgrade its older Solocom platform — a quote the director said made the board’s earlier choice of Motorol a prudent decision because Solocom upgrades were losing vendor support.

Board members and staff discussed operational impacts. The director said minimum dispatch staffing is currently two but the county hopes to add consoles and reach a minimum shift staffing goal of three. The board noted two trainees — Amber Schul and Delaney Holt — recently completed training and a third trainee did not finish; three positions were authorized in the 2026 budget and hiring is underway to restore a full staff level of 19.

The director asked for patience during the transition, warning that some stations may operate on mixed equipment during cutover and that admin phone lines will move into headset workflows, which will be a notable change for dispatchers. Staff said the county maintains two Neo backup phones and would use additional headsets and consoles as they add personnel.

The director also said the state 911 director summit is weighing a potential increase in state 911 fees, calling that discussion preliminary and without a formal decision. The board did not take a formal vote on the fee issue during the meeting.

The board was told to expect additional communications about schedule and staffing as the county prepares for the new system.