Dane County is hiring a headhunter to recruit a top slate of candidates to lead its 911 center, which came under scrutiny this year after mishandling a phone call from a homicide victim's cell phone.

The county is conducting a national search to replace Joe Norwick, who turned in his resignation Sept. 2. Emergency Management Director Kathy Krusiec, who starts next week as interim director, is not seeking the position permanently.

The 911 oversight board signaled support Wednesday for hiring a consultant to find the next director. The county will now put out a request for proposals to hire a consultant, who is likely to cost about $30,000, said Travis Myren, Dane County deputy director of administration.

The money will come from salary savings, Myren said. This year's budget included $100,000 for Norwick's salary, which he won't receive after Friday.

Myren said the consultant will develop a position profile, including salary and benefits. A list of candidates will be presented to the 911 board, which will forward three names to Dane County Executive Kathleen Falk. The process is expected to take a few months, Falk's spokesman Josh Wescott said.

A headhunter was not used last year, when Falk rejected the 911 board's first list of three candidates before selecting Norwick in a second round. Wescott said hiring a headhunter is not a reflection on how that process went.

"It helps speed up this process potentially and make sure our pool is deep," Wescott said. "We feel it's in the county's best interest to have the best possible field of candidates. This obviously fulfills part of that promise."