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Commissioners, dispatch staff debate who should control 9-1-1 funds and purchases
Summary
Daniels County commissioners and staff debated whether the PSAP (dispatch) or the commission should have final say over 9-1-1 fund expenditures. Commissioners emphasized final approval lies with them while staff cited PSC/Helena guidance that PSAP operators typically direct 9-1-1 spending.
The board discussed how decisions should be made about expenditures from the county’s 9-1-1 (PSAP) funds, including whether dispatch should be consulted before purchases. A staff member referenced prior guidance from Helena and the Public Safety Commission indicating the PSAP typically makes those decisions, but commissioners stressed they retain final authority.
"According to the lady in Helena...dispatch is supposed to be in charge of that," a staff member said, while another commissioner countered that final approval rests with the commission. The exchange covered past practice (radios purchased and communicated after the fact), the need for transparency, and whether a more cordial wording could be sent to the PSAP to clarify roles.
No formal policy change was adopted at the meeting, but commissioners requested staff re-read the PSC agreement text and report back with a recommended statement to circulate to the PSAP to reduce friction and improve pre-purchase communication.
