Keeping deputies and jail staff on the same page could soon take just a few taps on a phone.
The Buena Vista County Board of Supervisors has approved moving forward with online scheduling software for the sheriff’s office, replacing paper calendars with a digital system designed to simplify scheduling and help staff respond to emergencies.
Sheriff Kory Elston and jail administrator Alyson Sievers presented the request to supervisors Tuesday morning. The system would cover the sheriff’s office, communications center, jail and reserve personnel.
Employees would be able to use an app to check their schedules, request time off and arrange shift changes.
Elston said the system could be especially useful when an emergency requires the office to quickly determine which personnel are available.
Elston said the office currently relies on paper schedules, and he sometimes takes pictures of calendars and enlarges them on his phone to see who is working.
The proposed service costs $5 per user each month. Although the office has less than 55 employees, it would need to purchase a 60-user tier to accommodate its staffing groups and reserve personnel. That puts the cost at about $300 a month for the entire office.
Elston asked supervisors to authorize the service for the remainder of the current fiscal year, with the option to evaluate it before deciding whether to include it in next year’s budget.
The sheriff said the provider offered month-to-month service without setup fees or a long-term contract, allowing the office to try the system before making a longer-term commitment.
Supervisors approved the request unanimously.
Elston said the goal is to reduce the time spent managing schedules on paper while making it easier for employees and supervisors to see who is working and who can be called in when needed.
