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Board approves 8 new emergency‑communications positions funded by 911 surcharge
Summary
Calvert County commissioners unanimously approved adding eight full‑time positions (four 911 call takers and four dispatchers) at an annual cost of $798,592, funded by Maryland 911 surcharge revenue and an FY2025 grant adjustment.
The Board of County Commissioners voted to adopt Budget Amendment BA2025‑318 to add four public‑safety call takers and four Dispatcher I positions to the Emergency Communications Division, with an annual operating cost estimated at $798,592.
Crystal Dowd, deputy director of public safety (speaker 25), introduced Emergency Communications Division Chief Stanley Harris (speaker 26), who summarized a workforce optimization study. Harris said the report "recommended increasing the authorized full time equivalence by 8, 4 public safety call takers and 4 dispatcher ones." He and staff said the incremental cost could be offset by revenue from the Maryland 9‑1‑1 surcharge; staff estimated additional FY2025 grant revenue of about $219,494 would accelerate hiring.
Commissioners probed staffing history and recruitment. Harris said vacancies had fallen from 13 two years earlier to two at present, and that a pipeline of applicants was in place. Commissioners noted the difficulty of the job, retention improvements and the national retention benchmarks cited by the study.
After the presentation and no public testimony, a motion to close the record and adopt the budget amendment passed unanimously.
Implementation notes: hiring will proceed if the budget amendment and revenue adjustments are posted; the Department of Public Safety and Finance will monitor 9‑1‑1 surcharge disbursements and hiring progress.
