Overtime Concerns Continue At 911 Centre

Rising overtime costs at the city’s 911 centre continue to prompt concern from members of the Saint John Board of Police Commissioners.

Unaudited financial results presented to the board last week show overtime for the Public Safety Communication Centre (PSCC) is 3.5 times over budget as of April 30.

Just under $40,000 was budgeted for overtime during the first three months of the year, but the actual amount spent was close to $142,000.

The latest budget forecast shows overtime reaching $449,000 by the end of the year — more than times higher than the budgeted amount of $120,000.

“I know it’s been difficult staffing there sometimes but is there not something we can do to change that?” Commissioner Douglas Jones asked during Tuesday’s meeting.

Craig Lavigne, senior finance manager, said he spoke with the manager of the centre who said they try to operate with five people per shift.

“There is a rate of turnover in there so when they go down to four, they begin accurring overtime,” Lavigne said.

Overtime also begins to build up when operators are taken off shift to help train new employees, he said.

Jones then questioned why the centre would not hire more staff to deal with training and turnover rather than paying out overtime.

“It’s going to be cheaper, in the long run, to add, let’s say two or three extra people as opposed to paying the overtime,” he said.

Lavigne said they have been trying to do that over the past few years but without success.

“We’ve done a number of recruiting for these roles over the last several years,” he said. “They’re challenging to fill. It’s a tough job.”

In some instances, he said, not everyone makes it through the extensive training involved and others realize after being hired that the job is not for them.

The Saint John PSCC has taken on dispatching services for several volunteer fire departments in the region over the past few months, but the board chair said he does not believe that has negatively impacted operations.

“The amount of extra work isn’t significant, as I understand it, so that’s not the factor. The factor is getting people that are interested in the position and want to stay,” said Ed Keyes.

While overtime is projected to be over budget by $329,000 this year, a reduction in salaries and wages ($212,000) is expected to help offset the overage.