Jefferson County 911 Dispatch officials recently began seeking applicants to replace Chief Travis Williams, who plans to retire from the agency this autumn.
Williams said he informed the 911 Dispatch Board of Directors about his impending retirement at the start of the year, but the process to find his replacement only recently began.
“The board has contracted with a recruiting firm, SGR (Strategic Government Resources), to conduct the search,” he said July 10. “We just started advertising last week. It’s on the internet on some of the public safety websites and in (the Leader).”
Williams said SGR will submit a number of candidates to the board for board members to choose from.
“They’ll whittle down the applicants to four, five, six candidates,” he said. “The board will interview those candidates.
“I’m hoping we have a person selected by Oct. 1 so I can train them for 45 to 60 days.”
Williams, 55, of Cuba has worked in dispatching for more than 24 years.
He is paid a $125,000 annual salary as the 911 chief.
“I’ve been the chief here for 13 1/2 years,” he said. “We have 44 dispatchers and there are 10 employees in administration, including me.”
According to the recruiting company’s website, “The Chief of Jefferson County 911 Dispatch provides strategic leadership and oversees the administrative support, customer service, accounts payable, human resources, and operations of primary and secondary dispatch centers. This role ensures the effective and efficient functioning of the 911 communication services and fosters a high-performing, collaborative team environment.”
Among the qualifications for the job listed on the SGR website are: bachelor’s degree in business administration/management preferred, not required; experience in administration, criminal justice or related field; plus a minimum of five years in a supervisory position in emergency services and a minimum of five years of experience in emergency dispatching.
The new chief’s salary will be based on qualifications and experience, the website says.
The first review of applications will be on Aug. 4.