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Read comments (11)They also unanimously approved a spending freeze to prohibit new hiring or additional spending except in cases of emergency.
Commissioner J.D. "Bo" Wilson apologized to local probation director Rory Griffy for having opposed purchase of the new car, saying he now understands the need for it.
Other items approved Tuesday by the commission:
* Property tax bills will now be rounded up or down to the nearest dollar.
* The Animal Control office now has a policy in place for charging for reports and photos. Like the Sheriff's Department, the animal control office will charge $5 for a black and white report or $10 for a report plus color photos.
* Law enforcement officials were authorized to purchase new, more visible safety vests and directed to wear them in all roadside situations. The new vests will be required by federal law starting in November for law enforcement personnel working along federally-funded highways; the county commission's action authorized them to be bought and specified that they are to be worn on all roadside incidents.
* County agencies gave their quarterly reports to the commission. Veterans Service Officer Gordon Warren reported on a landmark of sorts; he's had his first veteran from the current Iraq war to request services.
Communications Center director Cathey Mathis said the com center has set up an advisory board composed of emergency department heads.
"I think we had a very informative meeting," said Mathis.
Commissioner Mark Thomas, who is also chief of Volunteer Fire Services Inc., said he believes the com center's dispatching has improved in recent months, since the com center brought in training officers from the emergency departments to meet with dispatchers.
She said the com center needs four more dispatchers to meet the target of having two dispatchers on duty at all times, around the clock. She also discussed the impact of cell phones on dispatch. In case of an automobile accident, the com center is sometimes flooded with cell phone calls from passers-by -- that's a good thing in general, but in some cases there are so many calls that it becomes a challenge to get the appropriate services dispatched and informed. And all the calls must be answered in case some of them are about some different problem or incident.
* School Superintendent Ed Gray reported that, weather permitting, the first concrete was scheduled to be poured Thursday at the site of the new Learning Way Elementary School.
Someoneonecares
Your statement "I am glad to hear the people that matter are saying good things about the com center" Who would these people be? Do they ever listen to the dispatching that is being done? or they just have to say good things, because they are on the com center board - and they "must" defend the employees. I think the people that matter would be taxpayers, because the com center is dispatching emergency vehicles/personnel to taxpayers-- and we are paying the dispatchers . I think I am one that matters - ( of course I am not in the position to hire and fire, which is probably your definition of someone that matters )and I definitely have not been able to say good things.
The job duties may not be as stressful as working in an environment that you realize if you are not on the Director's side, you probably won't last as an employee -- and as a new employee, it may take a few months to see where you stand but if you are the Director's daughter, you should feel relieved.
It really doesn't matter how many people you have if they don't do things right, just like today. The com center paged out everyone to a wreck at Unionville Deason road and 41A North., the wreck was really at 231 and Unionville Deason road. They should have sent Bell Buckle and not Unionville Volunteers. I heard a dispatcher, the Director and her daughter (the training officer) all on the radio, so how much good would more dispatchers do???? It was a good thing that it wasn't all that bad since everyone was burning fuel looking for the wreck, not counting all of their time and what about the injured person.
The county is saying that fuel cost is hurting them, but no one seems to think about all the volunteers that drive the own vehicles and they buy their own fuel plus the wear and tear of their vehicles. They never complain, but bad dispatching is a burden on all of them.
Time for a personnel "housecleaning" at the Communications Center.
Nepotism has always been contrary to Tn law and public policy. If you want details read Tennessee Code Annotated 8-31-101 through 107.
Seems simple enough. Or is it that Bedford County has not evolved beyond the 1960's?
Someonecares,
First off this is an open forum, so all comments good or bad, are welcome. Apparently, you think this is a text message, judging by your spelling and grammar. Since you like defending the Com Center so much, why do you hide behind your screen name?? Talking about "the pot calling the kettle black".
Ok now, you tried to defend the Com Centers turnover, I will give you that one, but what about the other issues that have been brought to light on here?? Out of all the points made on here, you found one that you attempted to defend.
Just today 1-2 hours before the storm hit, the Center tested the school warning system. That was a late, wasn't it?? Aren't the systems supposed to be tested the first Monday of every month? Then there were 7 fire tones that were sent out telling of the storm shelter openings. Do they not have an "all call" for the fire department?? That is one button and one tone that take care of all county fire fighters??
Oh that's right, that was the Certified Training Officer that handling that. I suppose other county training officers are going to have to go back up there and show them how to operate their own equipment.
So Mr./Mrs. Someonecares, I am curious to see your answers on these topics
and from what i have heard the people that came in from other depts are training officers for their respective departments and just gave pointers on what they thought would be information that would benefit them .. im pretty sure they werent actually training the dispatchers.. jus to get the yarn back to rolling strait on that information you ppl are trying to twist
cindy , since you are using your name , i guess i am not talking to or referring to you
someonecares:
Hide behind screen names....hummmm I don't think your legal name is 'someone cares' is it?
I do not hide behind a screen name.I will tell you point blank that instead of hiring new dispatchers *(except to replace the new vacancies) the ones we have should be trained to be more effecient.I noticed one of the trainers is Mrs.Mathis' daughter.Isn't she the one making a lot of mistakes?How on earth can that be a good idea???
im glad to hear that the ppl that matter are saying good things about the com center. then there are the select few that keep getting on here behind their screen names bad mouthing the com center. the other three that have already posted in particular. to answer one of the dumb responses, there are several other ppl at the com center during the day with the administration being there, jus like any other government related job. i really thought that there were other things in life for ppl to complain about than the unexistant problems with the 911 center. again great job to all the employees there. it has to be a stressfull and demanding job and it probably takes a special person to do it, which probably explains the turnover rate there. not anyone can do that stuff and im one of those ppl that cant and wouldnt want to do it.
Bedford County Board of Commissioners unanimously approved a spending freeze to prohibit new hiring or additional spending except in cases of emergency. Then Communications Center director Cathey Mathis said she needs four more dispatchers... Wow are they going to fall for all of her bull. I don't want another cent of my tax money spent on the Com center until she is replaced,and that goes for the money that I pay on my phone bills.
We need all dispatchers in one building and the SO would be a good place for that. At least everything would not be behind locked doors.
Commissioner Mark Thomas, who is also chief of Volunteer Fire Services Inc., said he believes the com center's dispatching has improved in recent months, since the com center brought in training officers from the emergency departments to meet with dispatchers. Why are we paying for two trainer at the com Center(which one is her daughter) if we are having to bring in training officers from the emergency departments. This county must learn how to save money and that includes Commissioner Mark Thomas (which has always made a living off of the taxpayers)and the commissioners that serve on the com center board.
Enough is enough, fix it or shut it down.....Don't just set there and spend more money.....
So she needs 4 more dispatchers?? Does that include the 2 open slots, where 2 empoyees recently left the center?? From what I hear, Mark Thomas is the one that said he is having to send more responding units because he can't depend on the info that dispatchers relay. And thats not even during a busy time at the Center. As for answering all the calls, maybe someone needs to do an investigation on the 911 calls that are not answered, just like tey did in Chatanooga a few years back. You can listen to the scanner and hear 3-4 different voices on the radio during the day, and only 2 during the evening and night. WHY???
Perhaps the "new board" (or someone) will investigate the high turnover at the com center. It's obvious something is wrong somewhere. Director Mathis can't keep employees --- except the employees she "wants" to keep. She constantly states "we need more dispatchers". Why don't the employees stay? What other office (taxpayer funded) has had the high percent of turnover. I have personally spoken with a few former employees --- and I continue to hear the story about partiality --and until we get another Director, it's not going to be any better./