Looks Like Dispatch Staying In Kimball

After a tension filled, heated discussion and debate at the Kimball City Council meeting on Thursday, Kimball Police Chief Jose Ruiz and Kimball County Sheriff Dave Hottell have met – and according to the sheriff all dispatching will remain in Kimball County.

This is the most recent information obtained by the Observer on Tuesday afternoon and confirmed by the sheriff in relation to the retention of the city's dispatch in this county and not Cheyenne County. Mayor John Morrison also confirmed that a meeting took place and dispatch will stay in Kimball.

"Communication was the key," Morrison said.

It was a rocky road getting to this point.

The community showed up and spoke up at the Thursday council meeting, which lasted two hours. Residents overwhelmingly requested, over and over again, to keep Kimball tax dollars in Kimball and work together for the good of Kimball. The public seemed to be more interested in finding a solution within the county than sending tax dollars to Cheyenne County.

Mayor Morrison repeatedly stated that they were simply looking at options and the purpose of the meeting was hear Heidi Gillespie, director of the Cheyenne County Communications Center.

"There is a lot more input that has to put in a lot more discussion that needs to be done before there's a decision made," the mayor said. "It's not gonna happen at the next meeting or whatever."

The meeting began with Gillespie presenting an overview of the communication center in Sidney. Cheyenne County Communications dispatches for Cheyenne and Deuel counties. Many similarities and differences exist between Cheyenne County dispatch and Kimball County dispatch.

Both agencies use a CAD system – Computer Aided Dispatch system – and they both received 911 landline and cell phone fees. Both also are required to have state and federal certifications.

Kimball County jail is "grandfathered in" to the requirements because of the limited size of the jail. Therefore, the dispatcher has multiple duties, including jail checks. Both counties pay about the same starting wage for the dispatch position, but Cheyenne County has two position openings and Kimball County has one position open.

Kimball County has one dispatcher on duty. Cheyenne County has one and perhaps two dispatchers on duty depending on time of day, but they simply dispatch with no other duties. Both counties have training and multiple systems they use.

When Heidi Gillespie spoke about her qualification for training, Kimball residents seized this opportunity and information. Residents repeatedly spoke about her ability to help train Kimball dispatch. In response to a question about fire response from Fire Chief Andrew Bohac, Gillespie did respond that they would need repeaters to call the fire department, and the fire department would be responsible to pay for it.

Gillespie said, she told the sheriff, she was here to help and happy to answer questions.

Community questions revolved around staffing, finances, equipment needed to page the fire department, who initiated the dispatch situation, and taxes should not be going out of county.

Finally, a letter from Kimball EMS Director Mike Downey brought on a slight applause from the crowd before being reminded of the rules of no clapping. Downey's letter was read by Kimball Commissioner Rich Flores.

Downey stated that a roll over accident south of Kimball into Weld County created circumstances due to location that were overcome by the sheriff's office and dispatch. Downey said that the individual would not have survived their injuries if the dispatch and sheriff's department had not gone above and beyond.

The two hour meeting concluded with certification of the street superintendent, Jim Shoup and the hiring of building inspector Roger Staple.

The next city council meeting is Nov. 12 at 5 p.m.