911 administrator title changed to director

David Bledsoe
David Bledsoe

The 911 Emergency Dispatch Center Board of Directors, at the regular monthly meeting on Sept. 15, approved the change of title for the position of "administrator" to "director" as in the Revised Missouri Statutes Chapter 190, Emergency Services. David Bledsoe, who came on in August as administrator is now the director. The change of title does not affect or change the authority, duties, or responsibilities of the office.

Present at the meeting were Board President Scott Harkins, District 1 directors: Marty Ramsdell, Troy Eddy. District 2: Mike Volkart, Randy Clifford, David Byrd. Absent was District 1: Shirley Hayes. Also present were John Kay, board counsel, David Bledsoe, director, and Corey Sullivan, outgoing administrator.

Bledsoe provided quotes from Missouri Vocational Enterprises for new office furniture. The board , the board voted unanimously to approved the purchase of desk and chair not to exceed $2,576.

In the Director's Report, Bledsoe presented the following items: the new video surveillance system has been installed and has been in use this week; the radio installation has been completed and the center has, running on the new system for about three weeks, with some settings still be tweaked, but basically finished; four employees including Bledsoe attended the MPSCC Conference in Springfield Sept. 6-7 and Corey Sullivan and Bledsoe attended the 911 Directors Conference at the same location Sept. 8-9. All classes provided CEU's for those attending and they were able to tour the Greene County PSAP; in response to a complaint made Sept. 8 regarding a road sign attached to a tree on private property, the sign was removed, mounted properly and damage to the tree repaired; three employees including Bledsoe are scheduled to attend the CJIS/MULES conference at Tan Tar A Resort Oct. 4-6; one dispatcher will attend Amber Alert training at Troop F Headquarters Oct.13 for updated procedures to the Amber Alert protocols.

The Board voted unanimously to send two dispatchers to the Public Safety Telecommunicator Course (PST-1) formerly known as the Basic Telecommunicator Course will be held at the Saline County E911 Center in Marshall, from Nov. 28-Dec. 02. The cost for this course is $99/person for materials plus lodging.

Bledsoe informed the Board he is still getting price information regarding the purchase of a different truck for the Center. The Board directed him to get prices on new trucks in half ton and three quarter ton size from state bid and surrounding dealerships to bring before the Board at the next meeting.

The next meeting is set for 6 p.m. Oct. 13.