LOWVILLE — Lewis County legislators are considering laws that would install the sheriff as 911 coordinator through next year and increase his salary to cover the added duties.
Lawmakers will hold public hearings on the two proposed laws at 5 p.m. Tuesday in the new legislative chambers on the second floor of the old courthouse, North State Street.
The proposed change stems from "numerous discussions with committees and legislators," County Manager David H. Pendergast said.
Because dispatchers are members of the Sheriff's Department, their supervisor — the sheriff — would be the logical choice to oversee operation of the dispatch center, he said.
"The dispatch center is at the Public Safety Building," said Legislature Chairman Jack T. Bush, R-Brantingham. "It just kind of makes sense that the sheriff should be in charge."
If enacted, the laws would raise Sheriff L. Michael Tabolt's 2009 salary by $10,000, from $41,635 to $51,635.
The position used to carry an annual stipend of $15,000, but it was rolled into the salary of former Information Technology Director Thomas P. Gunn, who began serving as 911 coordinator in 2002.
County officials in April, without formal action, placed the dispatch center under the auspices of Sheriff Tabolt. A couple of months after that, in July, Mr. Gunn, who earned an annual salary of $67,000, resigned after being told to either do so or be fired. The four computer technicians are now under the direct supervision of the county manager.
Since informally taking over as 911 coordinator, Sheriff Tabolt and his staff have made several improvements, Mr. Bush said. "The sheriff has done an excellent job," he said.
Even so, the proposed law would expire Dec. 31, 2009, unless further legislative action is taken before then.
"We're just going to walk down the road for a year and see what happens," Mr. Bush said.
Technical oversight of the 911 system will continue to be handled by county computer technicians and the firms through which the equipment was purchased, he said.
"The maintenance of the telephone system, equipment, and related computer hardware and software should continue to be performed by the Information Technology Department, but subject to the oversight of the Sheriff's Department," says one of the proposed laws.
Most counties place 911 under either their sheriff's or emergency management departments, Mr. Bush said. Dispatch centers in Jefferson and St. Lawrence counties both operate under the latter.
County officials also are working with Lewis County General Hospital to develop a backup dispatch center at the hospital's North State Street campus, Mr. Bush said. Mr. Gunn about a year ago announced plans to develop a center in the old courthouse .
