Metrocom board recommends software upgrade and pay increases as county share of 911 budget rises

Peter Collins, chair of Metrocom’s operating committee, told the Commissioners Court July 7 that the agency needs a major software and staffing investment to maintain 9‑1‑1 dispatch and computer‑aided dispatch (CAD) services.

Collins said the proposed fiscal‑year 2022 Metrocom budget of about $8.2 million represents a roughly $2 million increase over the prior year. He said the increase is driven by two main items: a one‑time $1.1 million upgrade to the end‑of‑life CAD/CAT system (a vendor negotiated down from a higher initial quote) and recurring payroll increases to raise the dispatcher starting wage toward $18 per hour. Metrocom operating‑committee analysis showed the city bears the larger share of calls and population; the revised allocation moves the county contribution from roughly 23% to 24% under a recalculation formula.

Collins and committee members said the dispatcher workforce is short 16–18 staff, requiring heavy overtime and risking staffing crises; increasing base pay is intended to reduce vacancies and mandatory overtime. The operating committee recommended increasing entry pay to $18 per hour and recalculating cost allocations biennially.

Court reaction: Commissioners expressed support for staffing fixes and asked to explore funding sources including reallocating capital priorities, ARPA funds and other reserves. The judge and county auditor noted that the fiscal impact would create a contingent county liability (cited roughly $546,000 if both CAD upgrade and staffing were adopted) and asked staff to prepare specific funding scenarios.

Next steps: Metrocom will refine the budget and return with a funding plan; county staff will meet with city counterparts and prepare a public‑facing explanation of any shared costs and a proposed timeline for implementation.