Commission voices support of communications director
Marion County commissioners said Friday that they supported the current communications supervisor.
They also said they supported the county attorney's decision to seek more information into complaints about the department's management.
And, they agreed to gather more information from a consultant who would seek to design a system that solves countywide communication problems.
"I continue to have confidence in the job you're doing," Commissioner Leroy Wetta told director Michele Abbott-Becker.
Commissioners received a list of complaints at the Aug. 26 meeting from emergency medical services and fire department volunteer Ron Mueller.
He said funds reserved for 911 system had been used inappropriately, that the department was more concerned with tracking cellular phone calls than solving existing communications problems, and an oversight board was skewed in favor of law enforcement. Most importantly, the northern part of the county continued to have poor radio reception with dispatch.
Commissioners spent part of the meeting Friday with Abbott-Becker and county attorney Susan Robson in executive session. Since Abbott-Becker is a non-elected county employee, issues dealing directly with personnel could be discussed privately, Robson said.
Upon return to open session, several issues Mueller had brought up were discussed.
Radio reception
Abbott-Becker said the county "is way ahead of other agencies, but we want better."
The main issue is that hand-held units sometimes don't reach the dispatch center in Marion. Mobile units (in emergency vehicles) work all the time, and messages from dispatch seem to be picked up by hand-held units without problem.
"But we want that direct communication, particularly when the responder's safety is an issue," Abbott-Becker said.
The problem occurs in several locations in the county.
To solve the issue takes money, she said, and so far, the various agencies involved haven't found a solution.
"The budget issue always comes up," she said. "There needs to be budgeting by each department."
Abbott-Becker said the county should be responsible for "the backbone," which includes the dispatcher center, repeaters and towers, and system maintenance.
But if the county plans to buy portable radios for some of the departments, it will likely receive requests from all of them, she said.
She suggested the county hire a consultant who could find out each department's wants and needs, then design a system that would provide stable communications countywide.
The consultant wouldn't be an equipment vendor, she said. Instead, he would draw up the specifications, and vendors would have to meet them.
Commissioners agreed to hear a proposal, which could come as soon as their meeting Monday.
Other complaints
Other complaints dealt with a topographical study, which Mueller said could have been obtained for free, and that he would get a copy of the study only if he paid photocopying charges.
Abbott-Becker said the "study" actually was two separate items, neither of which required bids. The study itself was about $300 and was used to determine how far the radio repeaters reached.
"We've identified several problem areas in the county, not just Tampa," Abbott-Becker said.
The other item was for the company that supplied the county's equipment to determine how the current system could handle one or two additional repeaters. Abbott-Becker said repeaters too close together could interfere with each other.
"We were not seeking bids for new equipment," she said. "It's reviewing what we have already."
As far as copying the topographical report, Abbott-Becker said it was turned over to Sheriff Lee Becker, as chairman of the communications advisory committee. Because the department doesn't have a full-color copier, he decided to issue copies only if the department was reimbursed.
However, Abbott-Becker said, the original report always was available for review, and that some others interested had borrowed it to make their own copies. She said she was not involved in the issue after passing Mueller's request on to the sheriff.
Advisory board
Abbott-Becker said the advisory board was composed of a majority of law officers because the dispatch center has access to state and national crime computer networks, with information allowed only to law enforcement.
When the communications center was separated from the sheriff's department (so Abbott-Becker wouldn't be under the direct supervision of her husband), it ceased to be under the management control of a criminal justice agency, she said.
To maintain access to the computer networks, the county had to establish a board "of which the majority of board members represent criminal justice agencies," according to a copy of the management control agreement.
"We never had to have an extensive board," Abbott-Becker said, but she believed EMS, fire departments, and dispatchers all needed representation on the board.
Counties whose boards are designed differently are under the management of a sheriff's department, she said.
Crime scene, audit
Robson said she had visited with a Kansas Bureau of Investigation officer, who confirmed that Abbott-Becker had been asked to assist with the investigation at a crime scene in Lincolnville. Robson said she has requested a letter from the agent.
"He did make some requests of her that day, and getting a letter will help shed some light on that issue," she said.
Also, Robson is working with the county's auditors to ensure past expenditures from the 911 system fund have been spent appropriately.
Mueller said it was improper to use money from the fund for insurance, a photocopier, and fax machine.
Abbott-Becker said the law allows funds to be used for enhancements to the system. Other counties have built new dispatch centers using the funds, or bought portable computer units so officers can check licenses themselves, which frees up dispatchers to handle emergency calls.
"If there is anything there (in the audit), I don't feel it's anything more than a misinterpretation," Wetta said.
