Passions still run high in debate over Troy Dispatch

Troy residents were emphatic in their feelings about their dispatch center being grouped with one in Libby.

While the sentiment is not new, Troy folks are feeling more confident they can maintain their location after hiring some new dispatchers since last summer.

A public meeting was held on Jan. 5 at Troy High School.

Troy Dispatch Board Chairman Jim Ward acknowledged the staffing issues its dispatch center has had over the last few years, but reported at the meeting that the center has three full-time employees and one part-time employee. He also said another part-time employee was in training and the board was set to interview another candidate last week.

“We’re looking decent,” Ward said. “We haven’t agreed to go in with the county at this point. It will likely happen in the future, but there are plenty of counties that are short of their full complement of dispatchers.”

Ward said every shift is covered through the end of March. He also reported that the county last sent one of its dispatchers from Libby to cover a shift on Nov. 14, 2022.

In terms of other instances of the center needing assistance from the county, Ward said there were two other instances when the county sent a dispatcher to cover an open shift since June 2022. One was due to a dispatcher having the COVID virus and not being able to work.

A major part of the reason Troy was able to hire some dispatchers in the last six months was that it raised the starting pay to $15.50 per hour for new hires.

“After they go through training, it goes to $17 per hour. $21 is the top rate we can pay with our budget,” Ward said.

Troy Police officer Travis Miller made his case for why the dispatch center should remain.

“I was a detention officer in the Lincoln County Sheriff’s Office for 17 years and I’ve been a police officer in Troy for the last 5 1/2 years,” Miller said. “If consolidation happens, Troy taxes would have to go up. And Troy knows Troy. Our head dispatcher is also an EMT so she knows the area well. It’s more than sending someone to an address, there may be a little detail that could help a first responder get to a location faster and that matters.”

Miller also said having the dispatch center open has been very meaningful for its citizens over the years.

“There are only two places open 24 hours a day, seven days a week in Troy. The Town Pump and the lobby of the dispatch center,” Miller said. “The lobby is a safe place for people. Homeless have been able to come in, we’ve had forgetful seniors lock themselves out of their homes and it’s a place they can come until an officer can come help them get back in their residences.

“The food bank brings things to the center and kids know they can go in there and get something to eat. I just feel Troy needs to do what is best for Troy,” Miller said.

Lincoln County Sheriff Darren Short spoke on a number of matters at the meeting.

“It’s not in my power or my intention to take over Troy Dispatch,” Short said. “Jerry doesn’t speak for me and I don’t speak for Jerry.”

Short was referring to former county Commissioner Jerry Bennett, who has attempted to get Troy and Eureka to talk about possible consolidation.

“I don’t need more employees that I don’t have money in the budget to pay for,” Short said. “When Troy Dispatch goes away, the money goes away.”

Short also explained that calls that go to Troy Dispatch ultimately run through dispatch in Libby so they are part of records management. He also said Troy is able to dispatch county officers to calls it gets.

Troy Dispatch Board member Sandy Sullivan said she was more encouraged now than she was a year ago.

“We had a county commissioner (Jerry Bennett) who told us if we continued to have manpower problems, consolidation wouldn’t be voted on, it would just happen because it was a public safety issue,” Sullivan said. “I find it very interesting that the county says it doesn’t have the interest it did before.

“Our budget is $225,000 and our reserve account is $100,000, but due to overtime and training new dispatchers, our honey pot is not what it used to be.”

Sullivan also argued that if Troy Dispatch ceases to exist, Troy residents would have to pay for in-kind services it provides, such as dispatching for the police department, fire companies, ambulance, highway patrol and other state agencies to pick up dead deer from roadways and school buses.

Ward said for residents in the Troy, Yaak, Bull Lake areas of the county who are interested in helping the dispatch center, they are welcome to attend the board’s monthly meeting at 6 p.m. on the first Tuesday of each month at the Troy courtroom.