Dollars for dispatchers

Working dispatch at the Kootenai County 911 Center can be hectic, said communications supervisor Cheryl Hallgren.

That's what she likes about it.

"I like the various agencies we dispatch to. It's different every day," said Hallgren, sitting behind computer monitors that keep her connected to 14 emergency agencies. "It's fun. It's exciting."

No matter, she said, that the county dispatch workload is higher and salaries are lower than at Post Falls Police Department or the Spokane County Sheriff's Office.

"It's good to make a difference," Hallgren said. "You can't come here and have it be about the money."

If only everyone felt that way.

In order to maintain a qualified staff at the county dispatch center, the county commissioners and 911 Advisory Board are taking steps to raise dispatch personnel salaries.

"A lot of people don't realize everything going on at the dispatch center, and there are select people who can do it," said 911 Center Director Brad Coughenour. "We need to attract the right people, especially with all this critical information we're handling and what the citizens expect."

Currently, the starting wage for county dispatchers is $13.41.

That's nearly $2 below the dispatch starting wage of $15.22 at Post Falls Police Department.

Kootenai County also has less opportunities for raises, Coughenour said.

County senior dispatchers top out at $21.63, he said, while those in Post Falls earn up to $23.02.

In Spokane County, wages for 911 call receivers range from $17.32 to $23.37, said Heather Kvokov, with Spokane County human resources. Dispatchers earn between $19.82 and $26.75.

These differences make it harder to attract new county dispatchers and to retain long-term employees, Coughenour said.

"Hiring at $13 an hour, you could sit down and serve beer at the tavern and make tips for that," he said.

Especially, he said, with the larger workload at Kootenai County.

The county dispatches to 14 agencies, including the Coeur d'Alene police, the sheriff's department, EMS and all fire districts.

Post Falls dispatches to Post Falls and Rathdrum.

"Post Falls is a great department, but we dispatch to 14, they dispatch to two," he said, adding that the county center receives 5,000 calls a month for 911 services, alone. "We make less and do more."

Maj. Ben Wolfinger with the sheriff's department didn't know how many dispatchers have left because of salary, but he said it has been a problem for years.

He remembered one woman who left to work at Post Falls dispatch after being with the county center 15 years.

"In two years at Post Falls, she was earning more money," he said.

The county is addressing the problem.

After meeting earlier this summer, the county commissioners and the 911 Advisory Board agreed to suspend three dispatch positions and use the savings to increase wages.

"We'd like to match Post Falls. That's all," Wolfinger said.

There is clashing on how to do so.

Coughenour proposed a new salary matrix that matches Post Falls' starting and top end wages.

The county commissioners have produced a separate proposal that doesn't match the top end numbers for Post Falls, and requires an additional year to reach the top pay.

At a meeting at the county Administration Building on Friday, Coughenour pointed out that the commissioners' matrix would mean 12 employees wouldn't be immediately affected.

"That impacts the majority, not just one or two," he said.

Commissioner Todd Tondee said the matrix follows a different philosophy.

"The matrix is not a merit-based system," he said. "They're going to get more in the future."

It was agreed to table discussions until more numbers were crunched.

Everyone at least agrees that raises are needed, said Commissioner Rich Piazza.

"If refinements have to be worked out later on, we can do that," Piazza said. "I know they have a tough job. That job is very stressful."

Any raises will be retroactive back to August, Coughenour said.

He agrees that a matrix is better than the current system, where raises are mostly given out subjectively.

The commissioners have at least approved advertising new dispatch positions at a starting wage that matches Post Falls.

There is already a huge difference in applicants, Coughenour said.

"They almost aced that entire test, which I can't remember ever happening," he said of initial skill tests.

There are currently about 20 full-time staff at county dispatch, Wolfinger said. There are eight open positions.

Training takes 6 to 8 months.

Communications Supervisor Linda Lane, who has worked at the county dispatch center for 14 years, said she hopes the higher wages will bring in more dispatchers.

"It takes a lot of common sense and a lot of hard work being able to do shift work," she said. "It takes the want to do it. It's not a job for everyone."