The 911 Center is headed for an administrative shake-up.

With the departure of Roger LaFerriere, director of the Flathead County Office of Emergency Services, and Michelene Provo, 911 Center manager, the center’s administrative board and Flathead County commissioners have decided to combine the two positions and make several other alterations.

Sheriff Chuck Curry — who chairs the board — said the new 911 Center director no longer will oversee the Office of Emergency Services, the fire service area manager, Emergency Medical Services or the finance person.

The finance worker now will fall under the auspices of the county finance department while the others will be overseen by Curry.

“My plate is obviously pretty full, but I can understand why the commissioners elected to do that, and certainly it’s a situation that we’ll make work just fine,” Curry said.

The director will remain responsible for the dispatch center, radio communications, information technology and the county’s geographic information system. The 911 board has adopted a new job description for the position and the job was advertised on May 9.

Curry said he sees the changes as a positive thing for the dispatch center.

“I think, in the interest of efficiency and being good guardians of the tax dollars, there is a salary savings in not having two people running that, and I think a review after a couple years of operation about just how things were running up there with multiple bosses led to that decision,” Curry said.

According to the job advertisement, the new director will be under the direct supervision of the 911 board and receive an annual salary of $70,000.

Applicants are preferred to have a bachelor’s degree in public administration or management, “or equivalent combination of education, training and experience” as well as a minimum of five years of supervisory administrative experience in communication services with a degree, or 10 years of experience if they do not have a degree.

Applications must be submitted by 5 p.m. on May 29.

Reporter Jesse Davis may be reached at 758-4441 or by email at [email protected].