County considers bonuses for new emergency dispatchers
Staff reporter
The county director of communications wants to offer sign-on bonuses to attract more applicants.
Michele Abbott-Becker asked Marion County Commission to consider the bonus idea during the July 6 meeting.
Abbott-Becker had expressed concerns about filling open dispatcher positions within her department. Currently her employees have to work extra shifts to fill those open slots.
"I'm having a tough time getting applicants," she said, adding she hoped a bonus would be an enticement.
"This (dispatcher position) is not something we can go without," commissioner Dan Holub said. "We need to do something to attract applicants."
The commission agreed, however, instead of providing sign-on bonuses, to maybe offer bonuses after one year of employment as an incentive to keep trained employees.
Abbott-Becker was asked to bring a proposal to the commission for consideration.
She then asked for a five-minute executive session to discuss personnel with assistant county clerk/payroll clerk Tina Spencer in attendance. An additional 10 minutes was called. The meeting reconvened with no decisions.
