COLDWATER, MI (WTVB) – Branch County 911 Central Dispatch Director Kurt Spalding is scheduled to ask the Branch County Board of Commissioners during their work session Tuesday for permission to hire an additional dispatcher.
He says he is making the request because it would enable the agency to save some overtime costs and extra working requirements.
Two employees left last November. One position was filled but that employee left to seek employment with another 911 center.
Another person has been hired and currently is in training. The other opening will be filled by a person with 13 years of emergency dispatch experience who is moving from Montana to be closer to family. That person should be starting in a few weeks.
But there is another dispatcher who is off work due to a medical condition and with the other job openings, current employees have been forced to work extra hours. There is a concern the extra hours will lead to undue stress and burnout.
Spalding said in his letter they have already expended over $8,500 in overtime during the first two months of 2019 and that their overtime line item for the year is $30,000.
