boss resigns for Corps spot

Vicksburg-Warren E-911 Dispatch Center Director Michael Gaul on Tuesday submitted his resignation effective Nov. 15 and said he will take a position with a U.S. Army Corps Engineers’ anti-terrorism task force.

“They approached me about a week and a half ago, and basically offered an opportunity that I can’t pass up,” Gaul said after the E-911 Commission met.

Gaul became the dispatch center’s fourth director in as many years in July 2007 when he was installed on an interim basis to follow Geoffrey Greetham. He was installed as director in December 2007 and has been an E-911 employee since May 2005. He served as senior supervisor and deputy director before directing the center.

“I’m proud of the progress we’ve made at the center since I’ve been here. From where it was five years ago, it’s significantly better,” Gaul said.

Gaul ranked seeing the long-awaited opening of the renovated, $2.5 million E-911 call center on Clay Street to fruition in January as one of his top accomplishments.

“The thing I really pride myself on here has been bringing stability to the center as far as employment and training,” he said. “From 2005, the number of incidents or complaints has gone down drastically.”

Gaul said the center’s challenge in the future will be securing funding to add dispatchers as it continues to work toward accreditation by the National Academy of Emergency Dispatch. No dispatch center in Mississippi has achieved that distinction, and Gaul said the Vicksburg center could become the first in the next two years.

“But that’s going to depend somewhat on whether or not they can expand staffing and training,” Gaul said. “We have 17 full-time employees and four who work part time. We really should have approximately 30. I have asked for as many as 24, but have been told repeatedly the funding isn’t there.”

The dispatch center operates on an annual budget of about $1.3 million, which has been rising steadily since the consolidated dispatch center was created almost 20 years ago. Salaries for secretaries, the deputy director and director — which account for roughly $500,000 of the annual budget — are paid for via surcharges added to home and cell phone bills. Dispatchers’ salaries are paid for with a 65 percent contribution from the city and a 35 contribution from the county.

Deputy Director Nicole Vera, who’s been at the center for eight years, will take over as interim director. David McDonald, Warren County District 1 supervisor and E-911 Commission president, said a permanent director likely will be hired in January.

“Nicole has a real leg up on the competition if she chooses to apply (for the director’s position),” said McDonald, who speculated the commission will begin advertising for applications next month. “She’s done a great job and has been a great deputy director. I’m confident she’ll make a good director in the interim, if nothing else.” 

Vera began her career at the dispatch center as a dispatcher in September 2001 and subsequently served as shift supervisor and training coordinator before being appointed deputy director in January 2007.

“Service has always held a special place in my heart. I love the job,” Vera said. “Michael was a great leader. We’ve always had the same ideals, the same goals and we’ve always wanted to take the E-911 center in the same direction. I’m sorry to see him go, but I’m looking forward to the new challenge.”

In a 1989 referendum, Warren County voters elected to create the computer-aided dispatch system and the first center opened a few years later. Previously, people dialing 911 would reach the Vicksburg Police Department and calls would be transferred based on the emergency response needed.

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Contact Steve Sanoski at ssanoski@vicksburgpost.com