South Dakota has awarded more than $630,000 in the last year to facilitate three emergency dispatch consolidations, using funds from a statewide fee increase on phone lines that lawmakers approved to support efficiency and equipment upgrades.

The consolidations were recommended in a 2025 efficiency report commissioned by the South Dakota 911 Coordination Board. The report recommended the board financially assist consolidation efforts and target consolidations of centers with low call volumes, staffing shortages and high costs per 911 call.

Among the consolidation funds includes $237,744 for Miner County and Lake County.

Before the Miner-Lake consolidation, Miner County Dispatch had also covered Sanborn County’s emergency calls. April Denholm, director of Lake County 911 Communications said her center couldn’t absorb Sanborn’s needs, which is why Sanborn merged with the Mitchell Police Department dispatch. 

Denholm said the Miner & Lake consolidation should be wrapped up by the end of the year. Radio equipment and software still need to be installed and tested. The grant primarily covered those costs.