County dispatchers and personnel, past and present, were on hand at this morning's county commissioners meeting.
The reason for their visit was to express their dissatisfaction with personnel in the dispatch center.
Gordon Baker, Pierceton's fire chief, spoke to the commissioners on behalf of a group of first responders and dispatchers.
Baker said he was speaking as a taxpayer when he asked why 23 dispatchers have left since 2000.
"Wherever we go we hear about how Kosciusko County's dispatch is state of the art and the salary and benefits are in line with other place," said Baker. "Then why is it we've lost so many dispatchers, possibly the management?"
Tom Brindle is the head of the county's dispatch center.
Commissioner Bob Conley told Baker that it was the task of the 911 Commission to deal with policy and personnel issues.
The 911 board consists of Kosciusko County Sheriff's Department Sheriff Rocky Goshert; County Administrator Ron Robinson; Mitch Rader, representing county fire departments; Warsaw Mayor Ernie Wiggins; and the Warsaw police chief, who starting Sunday will be Scott Whitaker.
Conley directed Baker and others to the 911 Commission.
"It seems nothing is being done," said Baker.
Baker and others at the meeting cited a Sept. 28 meeting of the 911 board.
Robinson said the board doesn't meet monthly and typically only convenes when matters are brought to it. He said that a meeting did take place Sept. 28 about complaints concerning an employee and that they were taken under advisement.
Robinson said the board will meet soon. The board was earlier unable to have enough members for a quorum.
"We've gone to the board on several occasions," said Baker. "There are things that are taking place in the dispatch center that are totally unacceptable."
Baker said after the meeting he would provide a written list of complaints from county dispatchers to the Times-Union.
Those were unavailable as this edition went to press.
County attorney Mike Miner said that the commissioners don't have any authority over the 911 board.
"The dispatch is not a county program," said Miner. "The county can't come in like a 900-pound gorilla and dictate."
The dispatch center is a venture between the county and municipalities in the county like Warsaw.
Robinson said the dispatch center is paid through the county and must follow the same county policies other county employees do.
Wiggins declined to comment on any personnel issue, only saying that the board would welcome opinions.
"Certainly, we'll listen to what they want to present," said Wiggins of the disgruntled dispatchers.
Heather Zentz spoke in front of the commissioners and said there have been complaints that included hostile work environment and sexual harassment presented to the 911 board since 2003.
"We got the 911 board to help us and they're not," said Zentz. "The majority of them don't help. The one person who does is Sheriff Goshert."
The commissioners reiterated that they would go to the 911 board members and talk to them, but that they wouldn't overstep their bounds or authority nor would they allow personnel matters to be discussed during the meeting.
Other matters from today's commissioners meeting as well as more information concerning the dispatch center will appear in Wednesday's edition of the Times-Union.
