Council agrees to transfers and additionals to cover dispatch transition costs

Council members discussed the near-term budget impacts of the dispatch consolidation and approved transfers and additionals to cover transition-related costs.

Staff reported that the county's dispatch bill for the previous month 'was over 23,000,' and that fourth-quarter appropriations would be needed to cover the first payments under the Wayne County agreement. The meeting record shows multiple line-item transfers: reducing dispatcher salary and longevity lines while increasing contractual services and mobile-equipment accounts to a recorded total for transfers tied to the 911 transition.

Members also approved moving part-time and overtime dispatch salary allocations and certain payouts into the state 911 fund's contractual-services line. The presenter recommended additional appropriation and said that receipts of state distributions later in the year should offset some costs.