Commissioners hear plans to hire more dispatchers at Lorain County 911

After facing criticism from union sources over allegations of understaffing and increased overtime costs at Lorain County 911, county officials are taking steps to hire additional dispatchers, the Lorain County Board of Commissioners learned Tuesday. County Administrator Jeff Armbruster presented the board with plans to move forward with more hiring on Tuesday. The Fraternal Order of Police Ohio Labor Council, on behalf of unionized dispatchers at Lorain County 911, said April 27 that employees at the 911 Center on Burns Road had worked more than 3,800 overtime hours this year as of April 16. That averaged nearly 175 hours of overtime for each dispatcher — currently, 25, but with three out on medical leave. They handle calls for 24 fire departments and six police departments 24 hours a day. Armbruster said he, county Human Resources Director J.R. White, newly hired 911 Director Rob Berner, 911 Deputy Director Kurt Scholl, and Lorain County EMA Director Dave Freeman are working on a plan to hire 10 to 20 new dispatchers. The long-term goal is to turn Lorain County 911 into a regional dispatch center. Commissioners and officials also have said they want to encourage more Lorain County police departments to partner with them or contract for dispatch services with Lorain County 911. Armbruster said between Friday, April 28, and Monday, the county had received 38 new resumes from candidates for dispatching jobs. He said another 25 applications were handed out that had not been immediately returned. Berner and Scholl already had seven interviews scheduled, Armbruster said. "Is Lorain County hiring? The answer is yes," White told commissioners. A 911 dispatcher job starts at $20 per hour, with a $2-per-hour raise possible after one year, and "great benefits" including participation in the Ohio Public Employees Retirement System, or OPERS pension, White said. Applications can be made by searching "Lorain County government jobs" online or by going to Indeed.com. Questions can be directed to White at jrwhite@loraincounty.us, he said. Training for prospective dispatchers can last up to 20 weeks. Armbruster said he also hopes to "internally" improve the hiring process and consider lateral hires — those already working as dispatchers at other centers — for open positions at Lorain County 911. He said he also hopes to be able to recognize seniority in hiring experienced dispatchers. According to numbers quoted by Armbruster, Lorain County 911 paid almost $620,000 in overtime pay in 2020; $624,000 in 2021; $419,000 in 2022; and will cost a projected $514,000 in overtime in 2023 "if we hire no one." A labor management meeting also is planned next week, according to Armbruster. So far, there have been no grievances filed over excessive or forced overtime, "though there have been grievances in the newspaper," he said, referencing the FOP's news release. The dispatchers at Lorain County 911 "work very hard for us and we look forward to helping them out" by hiring more, Armbruster said. "We are working hard for you and we are working hard for the residents to maintain the 911 center, and those dispatchers are working for the residents out there. We're not the only center in the United States that has a shortage of dispatchers," he said. Commissioner Jeff Riddell questioned whether there was a "disconnect in reality" versus what has been in the media, including local TV news and in The Chronicle-Telegram. "What about people who desire overtime?" he asked, noting that police officers and firefighters also are working overtime. "There's a certain amount of overtime economical for the county as long as it's not excessive. ... We may find there's people over there that enjoy that, but would just like to have a little more control." Armbruster replied that his leadership team has considered that. "There's a sweet spot and a not-so-sweet spot," he said. "We want to build a center that will allow that time off to get good dispatchers," and fulfills the board's vision of a center that dispatches police and fire calls across the region. In other business: The board voted 2-1 to approve a three-year contract worth $49,500 with LabCorp of Dublin, Ohio, for laboratory services at the Lorain County Jail, effective retroactive to Jan. 1 and ending Dec. 31, 2025.Riddell was the lone "no" vote, questioning why the county was entering into a three-year contract when commissioners haven't yet approved their 2024 or 2025 budgets. Rochester Township informed the commissioners, in a resolution dated April 10, that its volunteer fire department supports the L3 Harris emergency radio system at the center of an ongoing controversy.The department "disapproves and does not support commissioners rescission of purchase of L3 Harris system and implores the commissioners to reverse" their decision in January to not purchase the system, according to board correspondence noted in Tuesday's agenda. Kevin Harless, emergency management specialist and Local Emergency Planning Committee Information coordinator with Lorain County EMA, resigned his job effective Friday, May 5.His exit comes on the heels of the April 12 resignation of former EMA Director Jessica Fetter, who was replaced by Freeman effective April 24. Contact Dave O'Brien at (440) 329-7129 or dobrien@chroniclet.com. Follow him on Twitter @DaveOBrienCT.