DANE COUNTY, WISCONSIN
This is an exceptional opportunity for a seasoned professional to provide on-going transformational leadership and management to a multi-jurisdictional, consolidated, large and complex public safety communications center. Dane County is seeking an experienced, innovative professional public administrator to lead and manage the County’s Public Safety Communications Center.
Candidates for the position of Director of Public Safety Communications require any combination of training and experience equivalent to graduation from an accredited college or university with a degree in Public Administration, Business Administration, Electrical Engineering, Criminal Justice, or related field and five years experience in public safety communications management.
Located in southern Wisconsin, Dane County is a growing and diverse community. It is home to both the state capitol and the University of Wisconsin-Madison. The City of Madison has been recognized nationally as a vibrant and comfortable place to raise a family, recreate, educate and work.
Dane County encompasses approximately 1202 square miles and has a current population of approximately 471,559 citizens in more than 60 unique cities, towns and villages.
Dane County operates under a Board of Supervisors/County Executive form of government specified by Wisconsin State Statutes. There are 37 elected Supervisors for two-year terms from each of the districts within the County. The Board acts similarly to the State Legislature in that it is the policy-making body of the County government. The Board establishes County ordinances, levies taxes, passes laws concerning law enforcement and appropriates money for services. Much of the background work of the Board is conducted by Board Committees.
The FY-2009 County budget is $493 million and there are 2245 full-time equivalent (FTE) County employees.
The Dane County Public Safety Communications Center (PSCC) is managed and staffed by Dane County and is predominantly funded from Countywide tax revenues. The Center is located in downtown Madison in the City-County building. The Center provides 9-1-1 call taking and emergency law enforcement, fire and EMS dispatching (as well as combinations of those services) to dozens of agencies in Dane County. Agencies served range from the largest city in the County (Madison) to many of the smallest communities in the County.
The Center is currently staffed with an Interim Director, two senior managers (one for Operations and one for Support Services), seven dispatch supervisors, and seventy-two communicators. All communicators and communications supervisors are trained to handle fire calls, medical calls, police calls and radio traffic. Fire and medical emergency calls are all handled with the aid of the Priority Dispatch System, a prioritization system that helps determine what help is needed and what help to send in a timely manner.
The County Executive has included a number of new positions and additional other resources for the PSCC in her 2009 budget. These actions will improve an already strong Public Safety Communications Center within the next year.
The Director of Public Safety Communications is appointed by the Dane County Executive and the contract is approved by the County Board of Supervisors. The position is under the supervision of the County Executive and the policy guidance of the Public Safety Communications Center Board. The Director is hired under a multi-year contract of up to five years in length.
The starting salary for the Director of Public Safety Communications position is negotiable, depending on experience and qualifications. The starting salary is expected to reflect the background and responsibilities of the individual selected. The starting salary is expected to be in the range of $90,000 to $120,000 per annum.
Please send cover letter, resume, references and salary requirements by close of business February 18, 2009, to James L. Mercer, President, The Mercer Group, Inc., 551 W. Cordova Road, #726, Santa Fe, NM 87505. Voice: 505-466-9500; Fax: 505-466-1274.
E-mail: Website: jmercer@mercergroupinc.com; www.mercergroupinc.com.
Dane County is an Affirmative Action Employer operating under a Civil Service Merit System.