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Madison County approves $2.50 night shift differential and two part‑time dispatcher positions to ease 911 staffing strain
Summary
After presentations showing chronic vacancies and long training times at the 9‑1‑1 center, the Madison County Board of Supervisors approved a $2.50 hourly night/mid‑shift differential and funding for two part‑time dispatcher slots (288 hours each), a change budgeted at roughly $45,950 when fringe is included.
The Madison County Board of Supervisors voted to add a $2.50 hourly shift differential for mid and night dispatch shifts and to authorize two part‑time dispatcher positions to address chronic understaffing in the county 9‑1‑1 center.
Ashley Richards, the county 9‑1‑1 director, told the board the center is operating at minimum staffing and that training a new dispatcher takes eight to 10 months. "One of the main issues is we are at minimum staffing," Richards said, describing heavy overtime by existing staff and difficulty recruiting people willing to work nights and weekends.
Finance Director Jennifer Warren presented the budget impact and said the proposed differential would increase the department's full‑time salaries and wages from the FY27 baseline to an estimated $775,128, an increase of roughly $30,560 for the differential alone. Warren said adding two part‑time positions (288 hours each) brings the total fiscal need for the package to about $45,950 but noted historical unspent balances in the department’s salaries line that make the change affordable in the current year without additional county general fund transfers.
The board discussed supplemental steps used elsewhere — such as part‑time certified fill‑ins and night shift differentials in neighboring counties — and acknowledged the risk of burnout if vacancies persist. "I would recommend allowing them to fill their remaining vacant positions, approve the differential pay for those positions outlined, as well as allow for the funding of the two part‑time positions," one supervisor said during the discussion.
Supervisor Jewett moved the recommendation to implement the $2.50 hourly differential and two part‑time slots; the motion received a second, was put to a voice vote and carried.
The action is a budgetary personnel decision: it directs staff to implement the differential and create the part‑time positions within the department's budget parameters described by finance. The board did not adopt a separate ordinance; the change will be handled administratively through payroll and position control.
Next steps: Department staff will proceed to fill vacancies and implement payroll changes; the board signaled it may examine compensation more broadly in the FY28 budget process if recruitment and retention remain challenging.
