Watertown City Council Supports Class B Retirement Status for 911 Telecommunicators
Northeast Radio SD News – Watertown, SD - The Watertown City Council voted unanimously Monday night to support a statewide effort to reclassify 911 telecommunicators as Class B members of the South Dakota Retirement System (SDRS), formally recognizing the public‑safety nature of their work and aligning them with other first‑responder professions.
Resolution No. 26‑39, brought forward by Police Chief Tim Toomey, does not itself change retirement status. Instead, it provides an official statement of support to the SDRS Board of Trustees, which will ultimately decide whether telecommunicators statewide should move from Class A to Class B.
City Manager Alan Stager opened the discussion with a detailed explanation of how SDRS classifications work and why the change is being sought.
City Manager: Telecommunicators perform public‑safety work comparable to Class B professions
Stager explained that SDRS has two primary tiers:
· Class A — most municipal, county, and state employees
· Class B — public‑safety professionals such as police officers, firefighters, paramedics, correctional officers, and sheriff’s deputies
Class B members contribute 8% of salary annually (with a matching employer contribution), compared to 6% for Class A. The higher contribution reflects earlier retirement ages and the physical and mental demands of public‑safety work.
“This is a statewide effort to recognize the important role that our communication officers play in the 911 centers around the state,” Stager said. “Historically, there’s been resistance to treating these officers as Class B participants.”
Stager said the cost to the city would be minimal if SDRS and the legislature approve the change.
“For new officers, this would be less than $20,000 per year of investment into these critical professionals.”
911 Director VanDusen: Telecommunicators are ‘the first first responders’
Watertown Regional 911 Director Troy VanDusen told the council the profession has evolved significantly.
“It wasn’t that long ago that 911 dispatchers were really kind of put into the same category as a clerk,” VanDusen said. “Over the years, we’ve seen that position evolve… 911 communication officers are the first responders.”
He noted that telecommunicators must complete:
· Law Enforcement Standards and Training Academy (two‑week certification)
· Emergency Medical Dispatch certification
· Emergency Fire Dispatch certification
VanDusen said several Watertown telecommunicators will receive life‑saving awards this year.
Councilman Mohrmann said the demanding schedules telecommunicators work — nights, weekends, holidays — align with the conditions faced by other Class B professions.
“It is very hard on your body,” Mohrmann said. “I would love to see this pass through the state legislature.”
Mayor Ried Holien echoed the support.
“It’s a very important job, and it helps the other first responders do their job better,” Holien said.
No council member spoke in opposition, and the resolution was passed unanimously.
