County supports legislation changing state retirement class for 911 dispatchers

Lake County Commissioners are supporting proposed legislation before the state legislature that could change the class of 911 dispatchers within the South Dakota Retirement System.  Currently, 911 dispatchers are listed under Class A in the state retirement system, but the proposed legislation would move them to Class B-Public Safety.  

Lake County 911 Director April Denholm told commissioners Tuesday that with the training that is required now for dispatchers, the move to a different class makes sense.

Denholm said that the change to a different class would also allow dispatchers to retire earlier.

There are seven full-time employees within the county’s 911 Communications Department.   Lake County currently pays six-percent retirement for 911 Dispatchers and a move to the Class B-Public Safety category would increase that to eight-percent.  That extra cost and the precedent it could set with other county employees are some concerns of Commissioner Deb Reinicke.

Commissioner Dennis Slaughter said he thinks it may help the county attract and keep 911 employees.

County commissioners approved the resolution supporting the legislation on a 4-to-1 vote, with Commissioner Reinicke voting against it.