Chief asks to add a position

DUNKIRK — The city hasn’t hired a new dispatcher in about a decade. 

Now, Dunkirk Police Chief Dane Mumbower says it’s time for the communication officer staff to increase by one. 

Mumbower made the request for additional staffing to Dunkirk City Council at its meeting Monday.

“I’ve been dealing with this particular situation since 2008. We have done anything and everything that we can think of to try to alleviate this situation,” he said Monday. 

“It’s just to the point that something has got to be done. It’s not fair to the full-time dispatchers. It’s not fair to the city for paying the bill. Nobody is winning right now, and we just need to find some common ground to correct that.” 

In 2018, the department spent approximately $22,550.43 on overtime for full-time dispatchers, according to a letter Mumbower presented to council. 

Currently, the department has to fill six open shifts per week, he said. Adding a new position would bump the open shifts per week down to one.

Mumbower said in the letter a full-time communications officer’s salary is $28,912.  

Mayor Gene Ritter noted that the overtime clocked by the dispatchers brings the city close to paying a full-time dispatcher salary. 

“Bottom line is we need to do something to get back our dispatchers to where we’re not running short. I believe between the three full-time dispatchers we have, you guys are working 50-, 60-, 70-hour weeks,” Ritter said. 

“I don’t think they’re too happy working 60-70 hours a week. Money might be nice, but it gets old after a while. I’d like to see council do one of two things … first would be allow them to hire a fourth full-time dispatcher … or we’re going to need to look at increasing our part-time dispatcher pay.” 

Council tabled the request until it obtains end-of-year figures from clerk-treasurer Tina Elliott.

The figures are slated to be in by March 1. 

In other business, council: 

•OK’d moving forward with Dunkirk’s downtown revitalization plan.

•Heard from Ritter that the Dunkirk Police Department handled 157 complaints in January, which included nine criminal arrests, assisting 28 area departments and writing 25 citations. 

•Paid bills, including a sensor for the sewer department and the labor to install it, a $2,374.31 bill for a generator starter and labor to install it and a windsock and two laptop stands for the water department totaling $505.30. 

•Approved the return of $816.88 for outstanding checks dating from 2013 to 2015.

•Heard Indiana Michigan Power will postpone installing transmission lines in the city because the company is looking at proposals. 

•Renewed Dunkirk Volunteer Fire Department’s contract through 2019 for $25,000. 

•Approved claims totaling $197,975.32.