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Sheriff: county revenue steady; pushes PSAP consolidation with Spearfish, seeks staffing and server funds
Summary
Sheriff Dean reported public‑safety service center revenue and urged the commission to support consolidation of Spearfish's 9‑1‑1 dispatch into the county PSAP. He requested one‑time server funding and additional dispatch hires to make consolidation viable and asked the board to provisionally approve pay adjustments for incoming Spearfish staff.
Sheriff Dean briefed the commission on public safety finances and pressed for a plan to consolidate Spearfish's 9‑1‑1 dispatch into the county PSAP, saying the work is already underway and staff need a budget commitment to finish technical and staffing steps.
The sheriff reported current Public Safety Service Center revenue projections and said the PSAP consolidation requires both a server upgrade (to handle Spearfish’s data) and two additional dispatch positions in Lawrence County. He told commissioners he had sought grant support but that the county must cover certain technical costs: "we were told we need a new server in order to be able to handle the volume of use," he said, identifying an approximate $60,000 hardware cost and a roughly $15,119 annual maintenance commitment. The sheriff said he could try to absorb some costs within departmental budgets but asked the board to consider adding the line item rather than risking degraded service.
On staffing, the sheriff recommended provisional pay adjustments and the creation of a senior telecommunicator grade so several current Spearfish dispatchers could transfer without losing tenure or pay. He also asked permission to hire additional part‑time telecommunicators now so staff can be trained and rested before consolidation. The board voted to add a senior telecommunicator grade and to authorize the sheriff discretion to hire part‑time dispatch staff to support the transition; commissioners indicated they would consider including the server maintenance cost in the final 2027 budget or address it as a 2026 spending authority if a grant becomes available.
The sheriff framed consolidation as a cost‑saving, service continuity measure: bringing Spearfish into the county PSAP would reduce duplicative overhead and likely save the city significant annual operating costs, while the county would absorb modest recurring expenses and one‑time technical work. He asked the commission for an early, provisional affirmation so Spearfish employees could get certainty and apply for county positions before the planned January 1, 2027 consolidation date.
