VITEMA 342 Percent Over Budget In Overtime For 911 Operators, Director Barnes Says

ST. THOMAS – The Senate Committee on Homeland Security, Public Safety and Justice – chaired by Sen. Novelle Francis, Jr. met in a morning session and also heard testimony from the Virgin Islands Territorial Emergency Management Agency (VITEMA) at the Earle B. Ottley Legislative Hall Friday.

VITEMA Director designee Mona Barnes said her agency’s “most pressing issue” are the 911 Emergency Call Centers (ECC) which are “now operating below operational requirements.” On St. Thomas, where the agency is supposed to have 22 operators, there are only 17; and on St. Croix, where there should be 22, there are only 19.

The shortage of 911 operators meant that VITEMA had to pay 342 percent more than their budget allows for in overtime to the remaining telephone operators. Barnes said eight positions need to be filled and that operators are paid $28,747 per year.

“While I understand the government’s dire fiscal outlook and the need to implement austerity measures, I cannot emphasize enough that without more 911 operators, our existing operators will continue to be overwhelmed and VITEMA will continue to experience high turnover within the ECC,” Barnes said. “As it stands, VITEMA no longer meets national standards for a fully-staffed 911 center. We must fully staff these centers as soon as it is fiscally feasible.”

VITEMA Director Mona Barnes

The VITEMA director said at least three positions will be filled as soon as background checks are completed on the candidates.

Barnes said the agency has spent the last few years trying to shore up its Grants Management Division “to prevent the loss of much-need federal dollars.”

“The territory has been repeatedly cited for under-utilizing funds awarded in the aftermath of declared disasters and mismanagement of grant funds,” she said. “The USVI’s management of federal grants has been under scrutiny for a number of years and currently federal funds are drawn down manually.”

Renata Christian, VITEMA’s deputy director of grants management said the local government’s grants process takes time because “it’s a multi-level process.”

Sen. Sammuel Sanes said that federal funding that was available could not be accessed because the government failed to meet time deadlines. Christian said the failure to secure available grants was a government-wide issue that “needs to be addressed at a higher level.”

“We are really, really, really losing grant money,” Sanes said.

Sen. Kenneth Gittens suggested that all grant-writing entities of government be housed under one roof, such as the Office of Management and Budget where he said the office of grant management is located.

Debra Henneman-Smith, VITEMA’s deputy director of administration and finance, said the agency collects $300,000 annually from the service fee attached to communications bills in the territory.

Barnes said VITEMA has 14 vehicles assigned to it on three islands, but only four of them are fully fuctional.

“The remaining 10 vehicles are in need or repair or replacement,” she said.

After dismissing the testifiers from the morning session about 12:30 p.m., Francis resumed the meeting of the committee at 2 p.m., but Sanes made a motion that the first bill (No. 31-0027) to be considered in the afternoon session dealing with assault rifles be held in committee and the chairman said “so ordered.”

Before Sanes could make a similar motion for Bill No. 31-0028 on criminal street gangs, he mentioned that he had spoken to Acting V.I. Attorney General Terri Griffiths and that they had amicably decided to work together on issues of importance to the territory.

“Yesterday I blasted the Attorney General’s Office,” Sanes said. “She (Griffiths) promised she’s not going to run me down with her car.”

After that, without a second motion put forward, Francis thanked the testifiers who appeared for the afternoon session, including Police Commissioner designee Delroy Richards Sr., and apologized that testimony would not be taken on the bills. The chairman said it was Carnival time and adjourned the meeting.