FARMINGTON — Franklin County commissioners voted Tuesday to hire Penny Cammferman as the new utility dispatcher effective Oct. 1.

Cammferman, of Wilton, is the office manager at the Franklin County Sheriff’s Department.

Commissioners opted to post and advertise a position for a second secretary instead of another office manager. Cammferman came on board from the union as a secretary and was later promoted to the new position of office manager.

The utility dispatch position has been dormant for a few years, Franklin County Sheriff Dennis Pike said.

“I couldn’t talk her out of the change,” he said. He was sorry to see her go, he said.

“I couldn’t have asked for a more dedicated person,” he said.

Part of the reason for the change is the union benefits are much better than the benefits for nonunion employees, Pike said.

The position for office manager was posted already.

Commission Chairman Gary McGrane of Jay questioned the process of posting a position without coming before commissioners first. He said procedure was not followed.

Commissioners asked Magoon to have the posting taken down for the position and to post a position of secretary and to advertise to the public as well. Pike requested the position change.

Pike said that he hopes the candidate has the knowledge of technology and computers because that is what is needed for a second secretary.

Cammferman does that work now. The job description for a secretary does not require technology or computer knowledge but the ad could state that the ideal candidate would have those skills. A secretary already in place has a different job description and handles more administrative work.

Commissioner Fred Hardy of New Sharon said he had concerns how it would work if the utility dispatcher works all day and then someone calls in sick.

The position is 40 hours and includes administrative duties of reviewing emergency calls and filling in for dispatchers when necessary.

Cammferman is a certified dispatcher.

Pike said the dispatch center is now required to review 100 emergency calls, up from the 75 calls, for quality control. He believes they will also have to review more calls after Jan. 1, 2013.

“This is a time-consuming issue,” he said.

The utility person may have to increase hours, he said, but he hoped it doesn’t come to that.

Cammferman’s pay would go from $19.26 to $16.65 per hour in the new position.

There are better benefits under the union, including being able to get paid for 100 percent of accrued sick time when they leave the job, compared to a nonunion member being able to take only 50 percent of accrued time, county Clerk Julie Magoon said.

Commissioner Clyde Barker of Strong asked if the position was advertised.

The position was posted as required and union rules and the personnel policy were followed, Magoon said.

This a vacancy not a new position, she said.

Barker, too, voiced concern over the utility dispatcher working 40 hours and needing to work more.

Pike said there could be split shifts to minimize overtime.

“I don’t know how this is going to play out. I don’t think it will play out in our favor,” Barker said.

The union can accept Cammferman’s appointment, and if it doesn’t, commissioners will hear about it, she said.

dperry@sunjournal.com

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