If not for DeMent, 911 only an idea

You have to be able to go back four decades to appreciate Perry County Emergency 911 director Randy DeMent and the work of people like retired Perry County Sheriff Sam Hiller, Bill Place and Alan Morris whose vision and determination created 911.

Because DeMent is looking at retiring later this year all of the sudden his

$86,010 a year jumps to well over $150,000 after being compensated for unused days over 20 years.. It's not a DeMent issue. It's the same kind of issue the City of Du Quoin dealt with when greats like Chief of Police Jim Booker and Fire Chief Richard Fronek retired--golden parachutes they never lived to enjoy.

For DeMent, its trying to pay out--over the year or longer --accrued vacation time, personal time and sick time instead of putting it all in a "last paycheck." He has been concerned and that's why the money flows across this coming year's compensation.

It's not just DeMent--who left the City of Du Quoin's employ in November 1995 because of a fall from ceiling height during a fire at the Elkins Insurance & Real Estate Agency on South Washington Street. His reward for city service was months--no, years--of painstaking rehabilitation and having to leave a job he was extremely good at.

The county is dealing with the same two-year payout issue with longtime county clerk's office employee Mary Gerrish and others. The Du Quoin District 300 board--where DeMent became the fiscal conscience during his service--will have to deal with a huge pension payout when Supt. Gary Kelly retires. On and on and on.

The late Du Quoin City Clerk Blaine Bastien and Mayor John Rednour largely ended the "last paycheck" golden parachutes of city employees after they became obscene.

New state contracts reduce accrued vacation time from 70 days down to 40 days.

Back to DeMent.

DeMent signed on with Sam Hiller's dream of a high quality Emergency 911 system and as he recovered from his injury, it was a good fit. He knew the importance of emergency response. He's a disciplined accountant, organized thinker, and honest to a fault.

There is no "job description" for DeMent because he goes so far beyond "the job." He said, "I am well paid, but with no contract they could get ride of me at any time." He maintains the sheriff's department's radio equipment. The department has fielded 2,138 Emergency 911 calls this year. He does all of the mapping and addressing updates, takes care of the signage and has created a system that is the gold standard, all largely paid for through telephone usage tax, not taxpayer money. Sheriff Steve Bareis: "I don't know how we will replace him. It will cost us more to contract for services than it is costing us now."Du Quoin Police Chief Jamie Ellermeyer: "Randy has saved us tens of thousands of dollars."