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Charles Mix County urges state to reclassify 911 telecommunicators to Class B retirement
Summary
The Charles Mix County Board of Commissioners adopted Resolution 2026-04 asking the South Dakota Retirement System Board of Trustees to reclassify Charles Mix/Douglas 911 telecommunicators as Class B members, citing job stress and staffing challenges; the motion passed unanimously.
The Charles Mix County Board of Commissioners voted on May 14 to adopt Resolution 2026-04 urging the South Dakota Retirement System Board of Trustees to reclassify Charles Mix/Douglas 911 telecommunicators as Class B members of the state retirement system. The motion (moved by Commissioner Nick Stotz and seconded by Vice Chairman Kory Standy) carried with “all in favor.”
The resolution—signed by Chairman Colin Soukup and County Auditor Jason Gant—cites the statutory definition of a 911 telecommunicator in SDCL 34-45-22 and says the job’s “demanding, stressful, and emotionally exhausting” nature and current labor challenges justify reclassification to improve retention. The county’s written resolution “strongly encourages” the South Dakota Retirement System to make the change.
Sheriff Randy Thaler had discussed moving jailers and 911 operators from retirement Class A to Class B during the meeting, framing the request around retention and recruitment pressures. The board’s action is an expression of local support and does not itself change state retirement classifications; any reclassification would require action by the South Dakota Retirement System Board of Trustees and applicable state procedures.
No vote tally by individual commissioner was recorded in the minutes beyond the standard "all in favor" notation. The board approved the resolution as part of its regular session; the minutes show the resolution text and signatures in the official record. The board adjourned at 12:05 p.m.; its next regular meeting is scheduled for 10:00 a.m. on May 28, 2026, at the courthouse.
