The background
During the FY 2022-23 budget cycle, the sheriff's office requested additional staff for the 911 dispatching operations. The county approved fully funding three positions with the understanding the MCECD would fund five positions in partnership with the sheriff’s office.
Under the previous agreement, the sheriff’s office would fund 60% of the five additional positions, and the MCECD would fund 40% of the positions. However, disagreements arose between the MCECD and the sheriff’s office due to a requirement for the sheriff to have all dispatch positions filled before the MCECD would pay for the five additional personnel.
What they’re saying
“My understanding is that the sheriff’s office does have concerns because we have filed some of those positions, and then we have been told by [the MCECD] that they are not willing to pay for those positions,” Budget Director Amanda Carter said at the Aug. 8 meeting.
“If the county spends money to get to a certain staffing level, we'll reimburse that,” MCECD Executive Director Chip VanSteenberg said at the Aug. 8 meeting. “We're not going to pay additional money just for the current staffing level. The additional funding is offered as an incentive to retain, hire and train additional call takers.”
“We've got turnover, so we're always going to have positions available. So that's just not going to happen,” Montgomery County Sheriff Rand Henderson said at the Aug. 8 meeting. “So in other words, it was just a gift, but it was something that would never be realized.”
What’s next
The 911 staffing has always been achieved through a partnership with the sheriff’s office, according to information from the county.
- 66 total staff
- 18 funded fully by the MCECD
- 48 funded by the sheriff's office
The Montgomery County Commissioners Court will continue discussions through four days of budget workshops, which are livestreamed on the county website.
