Story by Rodger Nichols for Gorge Country Media
Klickitat County will hire two fully-trained emergency management dispatchers on a temporary basis to ease the burden on a crew that is critically short-staffed. Another department merger is in the works, and the county gets pushback on an earlier merger plan. That’s all part of yesterday’s Klickitat County Commission morning workshop and afternoon official section.
Despite a hiring freeze, the county will be contracting for two fully qualified emergency services dispatchers to alleviate the burden on a highly overworked staff.
County Administrator Robb Van Cleave noted the county is required to have two dispatchers on duty 24 hours a day, 365 days a yea, and have only half the staff necessary to cover the hours adequately:
“Ten is fully staffed, and to put that kind of load on five people, we’re gonna burn out the other folks. You know, we’ve already had to adjust vacation schedules; we’re to the point where we had if we lose one more, it’s extremely critical. It’s a highly stressful environment and I think this will help alleviate both of those concerns.”
The $137,000 contract buys the county 1,773 hours of coverage for two fully trained dispatchers. Any hours not used up in the first four months will carry over to the next period if necessary.
Van Cleave also floated the idea of moving civil service responsibilities from the clerk’s office to Human Resources. That would allow a proposed half time HR position to be funded for a full-time position.
But an earlier decision to move Emergency Management into the Public Works Department, drew criticism from the undersheriff and 17 of the 19 volunteer fire chiefs in the county. Here’s a composite of some of the testimony.
“The one and a half week transition is not a responsible timeline/There hasn’t been any transparency/Have some meetings. Talk to all of us who’ve been directly impacted. That hasn’t been done/There hasn’t been the questions asked/ I do believe the public safety is put at risk/The board of county commissioners current course places Klickitat County in unnecessary and avoidable risk, and we urge you to change course immediately,”
Commissioners also held a bid opening for a maintenance contract that drew seven responses. The public works department will check the bidder’s qualifications and return with their recommendation