Board lets emergency communications supervisor receive overtime pay amid staffing crisis

Beltrami County commissioners approved a targeted temporary change to compensation policy in response to severe understaffing at the county Emergency Communications Center. Sheriff Jason Riggs told the board that the center had dropped to 61.5% staffing after several telecommunicators left and that training new hires takes six to nine months. To avoid service gaps, Riggs recommended allowing the Emergency Communications Supervisor (an exempt employee) to be compensated at 12 times regular pay when that supervisor covers open shifts outside normal scheduled hours and duties under defined conditions.

The board adopted a resolution invoking County Personnel Rules 8.1 (overtime compensation for exempt employees during extraordinary circumstances) and set specific conditions: open shifts must first be offered to hourly telecommunicators, supervisor overtime must be approved by the Sheriff or designee, and payment is not allowed for the supervisor's normal scheduled hours (8 a.m.–4:30 p.m.). The authorization ends in nine months with a possible six‑month extension by county administrator and sheriff agreement. Commissioners voted unanimously to approve the resolution on Jan. 21.