Hendersonville Standard
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Search begins for consolidated dispatch director




The ECC consolidated dispatch center could have a new permanent leader soon. FILE

The ECC consolidated dispatch center could have a new permanent leader soon. FILE

The search is underway for a new director of the Sumner County Emergency Communications Center (ECC).

As of Monday, seven people had applied for the position, which is responsible for the administration and management of the consolidated dispatch facility, according to the Sumner County Executive’s office. The county began accepting applications March 26.

“We are not going to hire someone until we feel like we’ve found the right person,” said Gallatin Mayor Brown who also serves as chair of the ECC’s executive committee. “I would love to have that done within the next couple of months.”

Opened in July 2017, the ECC is responsible for dispatching all of the county’s police, fire and emergency personnel from one centralized location in Gallatin. Participants include the cities of Hendersonville, Gallatin, Portland, Westmoreland and Millersville as well as Sumner County.

In January, the center’s former director and deputy director resigned abruptly amid growing concerns surrounding delayed emergency response times and high dispatcher turnover during the facility’s first 17 months in operation.

The resignations became effective the same day county leaders were scheduled to discuss a report outlining “serious allegations” from former employees regarding a “chaotic” and sometimes “hostile” or toxic work environment.

Since then, a transition team lead by Hendersonville Police Department Commander Paul Harbsmeier has taken over management of the ECC until a new director is chosen.

“I feel like at this point the ship is going in the right direction,” Brown said some of the changes implemented by the transition team. “They are actually in the process of hiring some new telecommunicators out there. They have a new training program in place, which is going to better prepare the new hires and make sure that the existing employees are comfortable and proficient at what they’re doing.

“I certainly think the service to our citizens has improved and will continue to improve.”

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