VIENNA — Maries County commissioners spent much of the Nov. 13 meeting examining state requirements for the county’s future 911 board while also raising concerns about rising dispatch comp time and the financial strain the transition may cause.

The discussion began with a review of the seven-member board required under Missouri statute. Five seats are permanent positions: the heads of the two largest municipal police departments, the heads of the two largest municipal fire departments, and the sheriff. Each may serve personally or appoint a designee. Those seats remain filled as long as the individuals hold their official positions, which commissioners noted could mean long-term service on the board.

The remaining two seats will be filled by community members and, after the initial appointment, will become elected positions. Commissioners said earlier explanations suggested all seven seats would eventually appear on the ballot, but the statute they reviewed Thursday did not support that understanding. They also questioned whether the county could require appointees to reside in Maries County for a specific period, but the statute does not set any residency minimum.

County Clerk Rhonda Rodgers told the commission she would again attempt to reach Sarah Newell, secretary for the Missouri 911 Service Board and Polk County Central Dispatch Director, who had volunteered to assist Maries County with the process. Commissioners said they want clarification before moving forward with any board appointments.

A significant portion of Thursday’s meeting focused on updated comp time totals for dispatchers, which showed 636 hours accrued among the four full-time employees. One dispatcher has more than 200 hours alone. Commissioners questioned how the number grew so quickly and noted that once the 911 board assumes authority, any remaining comp time could become a substantial cost. Based on the county’s current pay rates, the estimated liability is about $10,000.

Sheriff Mark Morgan provided further explanation in an interview following the meeting, stating the increase in comp time resulted from the dispatch center losing one of its full-time employees to another agency offering higher pay. Because the 911 Center must be staffed 24 hours a day, seven days a week, any time off among dispatchers forces remaining staff to cover additional shifts. Those hours are earned at time-and-a-half, causing compensatory time to accumulate rapidly. With a new dispatcher now hired and in training, Morgan said the office expects to return to a full five-person staff and begin reducing the existing comp time totals.

Morgan also outlined the department’s transition to full-time staffing when the jail opened. At that time, what had previously been a combined dispatch and jail operation was separated into two departments to reduce liability and strengthen service. Dispatchers now focus exclusively on emergency communications while detention staff manage jail operations.

Morgan also addressed confusion surrounding the budget line that appears to show dispatcher wages coming from the Jailer-911 dispatch full-time category. Morgan clarified that the line should be updated to “Jailer/Detention Full Time,” because it covers full-time jail employees funded through the Citizen Safety Fund. A separate line for part-time salaries, also supported by the Citizen Safety Fund, covers part-time staff.

Morgan noted that 911 does not fund any part-time dispatchers. Several part-time jailers are cross-trained in dispatching, but their primary responsibility remains jail operations, and many have full-time jobs elsewhere, making it difficult to schedule them for dispatch coverage.

In other business, the commission received a call from FEMA employee Kevin Haskin regarding ongoing road damage reimbursement projects. County staff said they will continue working through the required uploads and documentation.

Commissioners ended the meeting without setting a date for appointing the 911 board, saying they need clear direction on when the board assumes authority, how payroll responsibilities will shift, and how remaining comp time must be handled before they proceed.