5/27/2025

IRON COUNTY, MICHIGAN – The Iron County, Michigan Board of Supervisors voted to seek proposals to have 911 services handled by outside sources.The county has been having issues with staff shortages at central dispatch, with Iron County Central Dispatch Director Ashley Schmidt telling the board that there are currently four full time openings at the center and two have resigned within the past couple of weeks, leaving for jobs with better hours and pay. Schmidt also noted that even with the most recent wage increase, the pay is not enough to keep dispatchers, adding that Iron County has the lowest paid dispatchers in the U.P. There was some discussion about other options, but Civil Counsel Steven Tinti halted that, pointing out that the county has a union contract with the dispatchers and any other conversation could be misconstrued. Board Chairman Mark Stauber said he’d like to entertain all options, including putting out a request for proposals for an outside service to handle dispatch. Negaunee provides 911 Dispatch for Gogebic County and for much of the Central and Western U.P.