Archuleta County Combined Dispatch Director Devin Moffat resigned from his position on Oct. 2, County Manager Jack Harper reported on Oct. 15.
Harper also indicated that Elizabeth Blizzard has been appointed as the interim communications director.
The dispatch board held a special meeting on Thursday, Oct. 17, for the purpose of discussing budget requests for 2025 and a resolution giving oversight of the dispatch center to the Archuleta County Sheriff’s Office (ACSO).
An amended resolution was ultimately approved by a split vote, with Pagosa Springs Police Chief Bill Rockensock being the only opposing vote.
Board chair Jason Webb briefed the dispatch board on the resolution.
“After thinking a lot about this, I think it comes down to our continuity and supervision model,” Webb said, adding that there has been an inability to directly supervise and align policies and procedures “in a way where there’s not gaps involved.”
Webb mentioned that Sheriff Mike Le Roux has expressed an openness for the ACSO to “have operational oversight of the dispatch center,” which is listed in the resolution.
Webb explained that some of the top reasons for bringing the resolution before the board include the recent experience with the former director, difficulty getting insurance for the board, identifying oversight issues and questions of the current intergovernmental agreement (IGA) being appropriate or not.
Webb commented that he is “trying to think of a logical way forward,” adding that the resolution can be changed.
Webb also commented that his goal going into the Oct. 17 meeting was to leave with some sort of decision “to help not leave the dispatch center in limbo forever.”
Webb noted that under the resolution, the dispatch board still has ultimate responsibility over the dispatch center.
Webb explained that the resolution also includes $5,000 to be spent for him, the chair, to conduct research and see how other dispatch centers operate around the state to determine “what the best practices are.”
Webb clarified that the restructuring of the IGA would have to go through its own process, and that the resolution does not supersede the IGA.
Harper, who also sits on the dispatch board, explained the resolution is only valid until Jan. 31, 2025.
“This action taken by the board today is only through Jan. 31,” Harper said, explaining the board has the option to extend that or not.
Comments from other board members included that it is important to set up the next communications director for success.
“I’m not going to retain operational supervision, but have direction from the board about how the staffing goes,” Le Roux said.
Le Roux also mentioned that he is open to another entity taking on operational supervision of the dispatch center, but that it currently makes the most sense to him for ACSO to take on that role.
Rockensock explained that he is not in support of the resolution because each entity should have input of the operational oversight functions of the dispatch center, and who should take that on.
Webb indicated that he will be conducting research and that by Jan. 31, 2025, the board will need to approve a document related to the segregation of duties between the dispatch center and the entities involved.
Budget discussion
Also during the Oct. 17 meeting, the dispatch board unanimously approved a resolution approving its budget for 2025.
Harper explained that following a meeting held on Oct. 3, there was a consensus from the board to remove “a lot of capital items.”
He mentioned Blizzard had requested to remove the incentive overtime double pay from the budget.
Blizzard explained that she requested the board to look at “realistic scope” of how many full-time dispatchers the center will have.
She explained that the budget was slated to have 12 full-time dispatchers, but that the center may have fewer than that.
Blizzard suggested funding for 10 full-time dispatchers, instead of 12, which saves the center approximately $100,000.
She added that she made this request, “for the reality that we’re most likely not going to have 12 full-time dispatchers.”
She explained that it can be adjusted, but she would rather not have to budget for something the center is not going to be able to obtain.
“But, for next year we’re just not going to hit 12 full-time dispatchers,” she added, mentioning the center is currently set to have eight full-time dispatchers, once two new employees are fully trained.
Blizzard also mentioned that eight dispatchers is the “comfort” level for the center and that having 10 full-time dispatchers would be sufficient.
