County seeks telecommunicator candidates and to resume dispatch-fee talks with fire departments

Sheriff/telecommunicator staff reported that a new telecommunicator who started Dec. 9 resigned Dec. 26; the vacancy was posted on Indeed and the county has received about 23 applications. The hiring process includes a face-to-face interview followed by a multi-hour ride‑along shift so candidates see the 9‑1‑1 center work environment.

Committee members encouraged broader outreach beyond Indeed — including library postings, village and fire‑department email lists, college programs and mutual‑aid meeting channels — and suggested printed posters for community boards. A member asked that a county finance committee representative join meetings with fire departments to explain a roughly 10% FY26 dispatch‑fee increase and to avoid shortfalls in the 21 county fire districts and associated EMS budgets.

What happens next: staff will keep recruiting, post to additional local channels, and schedule dispatch‑fee coordination meetings with at least one finance committee representative.