(Spirit Lake)– Christmas may be just days away, but Christmas spirit was definitely lacking at Tuesday’s Dickinson county board of supervisors meeting.
Tension mounted as Sheriff Greg Baloun expressed frustration over his inability to hire anyone for jailer and dispatcher positions, saying the training and starting salaries are way too low. Baloun said many job candidates simply walk away when they learn what the salary schedule is compared to their responsibilities.
Things grew even more tense as Baloun repeatedly tried to call the supervisor’s attention to the matter. Baloun was clearly agitated, telling the supervisors “I have a severe problem here and everyone just looks at me like I’m a damn moron”. Supervisor Chairman Gottsche responded by saying “we’re not looking at you as a moron on this thing, Greg. What we’re looking at is how do we go out and justify this to the public”. That drew this response from Baloun, who replied “how am I going to justify it when someone calls 911 and we don’t have anyone in the Comm Center to answer the phone or dispatch the police or fire? It’s the heart and soul of emergency services.” Baloun added “I’m coming to you for help and noone’s paying attention”. Gottsche rebutted, saying it wasn’t the supervisors intent not to pay any attention to Baloun, saying they concur there is a problem. But Gottsche said “it’s the fact we have to justify what we do”. Gottsche added “If we have to amend your budget, it isn’t you that catches hell, it’s this board of supervisors that catches it”.
Baloun outlined a package of increases he feels would be adequate to address the situation. He estimates it would impact his budget to the tune of about 40-thousand dollars.
The supervisors took no action on the matter Tuesday. They’ll review more detailed numbers at a meeting Thursday and hope to hear back from the union that represents deputies, jailers and dispatchers at that time.
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