Pendleton County Fiscal Court votes to dispatch county dispatch to Kentucky State Police

By Carolyn Reid

A unanimous vote by Pendleton County Fiscal Court in last Tuesday night’s meeting ended the 20-year-plus tenure of Pendleton County having its own dispatch.

The decision brought anger and hurt to those who had spent long hours training and working for dispatch. The group of about a half dozen dispatchers sat in solidarity in one bench as the court discussed their fate in front of news media, community members, and first responders.

Judge/Executive David Fields opened the discussion by saying the court had been looking into the question of merging the county dispatch with Kentucky State Police for several months, and he also said the court had not heard any more regarding a request for information from anyone since the meeting Tuesday, September 19, when the meeting was led by members of KSP from Post 6 and Frankfort. 

Each magistrate was given time to speak. District 4 Magistrate Rick Mineer opened the discussion by saying he had gone to KSP to review how they conduct business, and he was impressed by the facility. He said he saw no hindrance to going forward with the merger based on what he observed at KSP Post 6 in Grant County.

District 1 Magistrate Alan Whaley stated he toured the facility and spoke to the people there. Based on the information they were given, he felt “...we would not lose the level of service we have currently, and in some aspects, we may gain some.”

District 2 Magistrate Josh Plummer said he and District 3 Magistrate Darrin Gregg went to tour the day before, and he asked around 20 questions. His main one, he said, was what would happen with the county’s current employees. “The biggest hangup for me, he said, was we are prone to floods, and out my way, we are prone to tornadoes every now and again. What would that look like if we didn’t have our dispatch center? That was put to rest. I didn’t know if we would just be put second. I was told they actually have a mobile team that would be put up on-site in a matter of a few hours, so they would run directly for that.

“The other question was if we do this, we will lose some employees, and some employees will actually potentially move. Those people would gain something we can’t offer them. One is money. The other is advancement. If you work at dispatch for us, you’re at the top of the food chain. There is nowhere else for you to go unless you run for office or if you get promoted to management. At KSP, there is a thousand places you can go within that organization, and you will make a little more money and the retirement is the same.”

He continued by saying he realized some would not attempt to make the move, and he also said he wanted to thank the dispatchers for all they had done for the county.

Gregg was open with his concerns about the move when he spoke. He said he was totally against the move at first, but he said as he spoke to KSP, he found out the dispatchers who would have a chance to move there and make $50,000 a year to start. (According to KSP, all would have a chance for an interview, but are not guaranteed a position.)

He also described Post 6, saying they have things ready in place to service the county, but he continued by saying a citizen had stopped him to ask about electronic devices in the 911 building and in the school system. He said he wished the school had been in the meeting to advise. If they had, “We probably wouldn’t be at the place we are right now.” He continued the schools have done due diligence to keep children safe. He shared the schools received a grant to purchase equipment that allows the 911 system that the county currently has to monitor those buildings in the case of a situation. That was one issue he had with making the vote. 

“The other issue I have,” he continued, “is that there are drivers who call in to say there is a cow out. I’m not sure if that can still happen, but the radios in PC school buses go straight into PC’s 911. They will not be able to do that--going directly into Post 6.”

Plummer reminded Gregg Post 6 said they could do that when they were with the court September 19.

Once Gregg heard the monitors would be placed in Post 6 and Mineer clarified Post 6 had said the non-emergency number for our dispatch could be rolled over into Post 6, he said, “But they can’t call any dispatch if the bus flips over. I know there are cell phones and someone will drive by and call 911.” He continued to ask for clarification regarding an incident with a bus as he had described, and Head Dispatcher Angie Wright said, “KSP will not monitor bus traffic, so cameras yes, but the bus traffic is just too much.”

Fields said whoever is monitoring the buses at the bus garage could get the call and then call dispatch.

“I can handle not being elected again,”Gregg continued. “I’m not doing this because of an election. I’m doing this for the safety of our children. 

“As fiscal court, we have to watch our county’s dollars, and...I’m going to make the best decision for the county as a whole...”

At that point, Fields said he had an opportunity to go to the dispatch center, and he felt they could boost some of the services they could give. They have the better equipment.” He also mentioned grants going to those dispatch centers that are regionalized first. 

When Fields tried to recall another point he wanted to make, Gregg said he had been in contact with people from the schools, and he had clarified there was someone at the facility who can be radioed, and that person would call KSP. He expressed his concern especially for cows that are out that the buses often encounter, being in a rural county. 

Gregg also mentioned talking to Owen County, and that person said getting on the radio with KSP there was terrible. He clarified that was Post 5. “We’ve seen Post 6, and it was the bomb.”

He reiterated he was not for this at first, but the court has to make a decision for the county and not just part of it.

Fields recalled what he was going to say, and that was that if they raise salaries, Northern Kentucky would raise theirs once again, taking more dispatchers from Pendleton. 

Aundria Egbring, a dispatcher in the audience, asked if any of the magistrates had been to dispatch to see the team in action “when this county really does go to crap--we have stuff taken care of before responders are even asking. So that is my question: have any of you sat back and watched us work.”

Fields explained the decision was not made from a lack of service. 

Mineer restated no one was taking the decision lightly. “We’ve got to look at the most responsible act for the whole county and the future of the county.”

He said they had tried to merge with other counties, and he said the county does have the top of the line. The sustainability with the population we have and the tax base we have to support it with is the problem.” 

Gregg said the system would wind up shutting itself down without grants and regional support. 

Plummer mentioned spending other people’s money (taxpayer money) as a court and how the costs for dispatch have risen since he came on the court. 

Mineer made the motion to merge PC dispatch with KSP, and look at a compensating package for the dispatchers who stay on till the merger is made.

After the second was made by Whaley, Constable Lou McCord asked if the Outlook was correct when it said 19 counties had merged with KSP. Fields responded that Post 6 did not have 19 counties, but McCord continued his questioning. “There are 101 counties in this commonwealth have not merged with KSP.” He asked if other counties were irresponsible by not doing so, bouncing off the words of some who had stated they  were making the vote to be responsible with taxpayer funds.

Fields replied some of the counties had merged among themselves, and then he continued with the vote that was unanimous.

After the vote, Whaley wanted to make a statement. “I didn’t go to dispatch to evaluate their dispatchers; I wanted to evaluate the facility, so I don’t want you to think we were there to compare employee to employee.”

Fields looked to the next item on the agenda which was a severance package for the employees who stay until the merger is complete. He stated that would take time to get through the process, and when he asked if the court wanted to discuss it at that time or if they wanted to go with the committee and wait till next meeting, Plummer said he felt it wise get advice from council and discuss. At that point, Egbring asked if the dispatchers would be strung along again as they felt they had been over the past months since the news broke. 

Fields responded and said they would gather information. Plummer moved to table and Mineer seconded. The meeting was adjourned.