County Approves Hiring Of Emergency Management Director
July 28, 2016 at 4:25 p.m.
It's definite.
Kosciusko County will add the new position of an emergency management director, as the county council Thursday approved advertising for the position. The county commissioners approved the position Tuesday.
In his comments to the council, county administrator Ron Robinson said that since Sept. 11, 2001, a lot of mandates, rules and regulations have come from the state and federal governments tied to homeland security. To receive funding now for issues related to that security, the director position is needed. The county will have to pay only half of whatever salary they set for the position, with the other half coming from a grant. The position, he said, is not only needed for the county but also for area cities, towns and businesses.
Ron Truex, county commissioner for the middle district, said the director would be responsible for the emergency management of the county. While it is a mandate, he said, because the county will receive funding back, he's OK with it. He then introduced Dr. Mike Williams.
Williams is the medical director at Kosciusko Community Hospital and served as a consultant for the Department of Justice. He's been involved with homeland security since Sept. 11, 2001. The medical industry for years has paid fees to the state for Haz-Mat response but the county can't access those fees in terms of grants because Kosciusko County doesn't have the director position. Without a director, the county doesn't qualify for the grants.
Councilman John Kinsey said he spoke to Robinson on the issue and they have a very qualified individual in mind for the position. He made a motion to approve to the director.
"It's something we're going to have to have," said Jim Tranter, council chairman. He said they have to have this position in place so they can qualify for grants and funding as they come along.
Robinson said the salary will be approximately $40,000, but the county pays only half of that. The director will be in charge of Haz-Mat, emergency management and local emergency planning and their funds. He said it won't be a huge department but in five years or so they may have to increase its number of employees from one. Surrounding counties with the department have one to three employees.
In other business, the county council:
• Approved the reduction of the prosecutor's budget by $36,357 and to advertise for an additional appropriation for a new position in the sheriff's budget at $38,025. The investigator in the prosecutor's office will be removed and instead, an officer from the sheriff's department will be assigned to investigate cases for the prosecutor.
Also, $9,432 was approved to be transferred from the Title IV-D (child support collections) budget part-time account to the Title IV-D assistant.
The changes in the prosecutor's office were requested by incoming prosecutor Steve Hearn.
• Approved Kosciusko County Sheriff Aaron Rovenstine's contract for 2003 for $80,575.
• Approved transfers of $588 for the county sheriff; $130.83, $300, $105 and $60.70 for county coroner; $20,000, $6,000 and $15,000 for the county highway department; $7,000, for 911 dispatch; $2,525, $6,855, $5,175 and $2,000 for county prosecutor; $275,000 for cumulative capital development for furniture and software for the Justice Building; $3,000 and $100,000, county commissioners; $519.09, $653.89, $61.89 and $578.32 for the county clerk; and $1,400 for the county auditor.
• Approved salary ordinance changes for 911 dispatch to equalize the county employees' pay in the department with those of Warsaw's for 2002-03; work release center for the community transition fund officer for 2002-03; county prosecutor part-time employee Kim Nance at $11 per hour for 2002 only; and $55 per day for the county jail for the transport officer for 2002-03.
• Approved for county coroner Larry Ladd to begin on PERF starting at the beginning of 2003.
• Approved a petty cash account for the county DARE officer.
• Approved the reappointment of Charlie Ker and Howard Woodward Jr. to the Property Tax Assessment Board of Appeals.
• Approved the reappointment of Kenneth Johnson to the Alcoholic Beverage Commission.
• Approved the distribution of the KCODE funds as presented. The county commissioners previously approved the fund distribution.
• Approved the purchase of computer software for the county assessor's office for $5,085.
• Approved the Kosciusko County Solid Waste Management District interlocal agreement for the county auditor to serve as the district's controller.
• Approved a resolution for the reduction of the 400 accounts in the county departments' budgets and another one allowing the auditor to act on behalf of the council to address any shortfalls that are discovered after Thursday's council meeting.
Members of the county council are chairman Jim Tranter, vice chairman Brad Tandy, Harold Jones, Tom Anglin, John Kinsey, Maurice Beer and Larry Teghtmeyer. Thursday was Tranter's last meeting. Beginning Jan. 1, Charlene Knispel will serve as councilwoman. [[In-content Ad]]
It's definite.
Kosciusko County will add the new position of an emergency management director, as the county council Thursday approved advertising for the position. The county commissioners approved the position Tuesday.
In his comments to the council, county administrator Ron Robinson said that since Sept. 11, 2001, a lot of mandates, rules and regulations have come from the state and federal governments tied to homeland security. To receive funding now for issues related to that security, the director position is needed. The county will have to pay only half of whatever salary they set for the position, with the other half coming from a grant. The position, he said, is not only needed for the county but also for area cities, towns and businesses.
Ron Truex, county commissioner for the middle district, said the director would be responsible for the emergency management of the county. While it is a mandate, he said, because the county will receive funding back, he's OK with it. He then introduced Dr. Mike Williams.
Williams is the medical director at Kosciusko Community Hospital and served as a consultant for the Department of Justice. He's been involved with homeland security since Sept. 11, 2001. The medical industry for years has paid fees to the state for Haz-Mat response but the county can't access those fees in terms of grants because Kosciusko County doesn't have the director position. Without a director, the county doesn't qualify for the grants.
Councilman John Kinsey said he spoke to Robinson on the issue and they have a very qualified individual in mind for the position. He made a motion to approve to the director.
"It's something we're going to have to have," said Jim Tranter, council chairman. He said they have to have this position in place so they can qualify for grants and funding as they come along.
Robinson said the salary will be approximately $40,000, but the county pays only half of that. The director will be in charge of Haz-Mat, emergency management and local emergency planning and their funds. He said it won't be a huge department but in five years or so they may have to increase its number of employees from one. Surrounding counties with the department have one to three employees.
In other business, the county council:
• Approved the reduction of the prosecutor's budget by $36,357 and to advertise for an additional appropriation for a new position in the sheriff's budget at $38,025. The investigator in the prosecutor's office will be removed and instead, an officer from the sheriff's department will be assigned to investigate cases for the prosecutor.
Also, $9,432 was approved to be transferred from the Title IV-D (child support collections) budget part-time account to the Title IV-D assistant.
The changes in the prosecutor's office were requested by incoming prosecutor Steve Hearn.
• Approved Kosciusko County Sheriff Aaron Rovenstine's contract for 2003 for $80,575.
• Approved transfers of $588 for the county sheriff; $130.83, $300, $105 and $60.70 for county coroner; $20,000, $6,000 and $15,000 for the county highway department; $7,000, for 911 dispatch; $2,525, $6,855, $5,175 and $2,000 for county prosecutor; $275,000 for cumulative capital development for furniture and software for the Justice Building; $3,000 and $100,000, county commissioners; $519.09, $653.89, $61.89 and $578.32 for the county clerk; and $1,400 for the county auditor.
• Approved salary ordinance changes for 911 dispatch to equalize the county employees' pay in the department with those of Warsaw's for 2002-03; work release center for the community transition fund officer for 2002-03; county prosecutor part-time employee Kim Nance at $11 per hour for 2002 only; and $55 per day for the county jail for the transport officer for 2002-03.
• Approved for county coroner Larry Ladd to begin on PERF starting at the beginning of 2003.
• Approved a petty cash account for the county DARE officer.
• Approved the reappointment of Charlie Ker and Howard Woodward Jr. to the Property Tax Assessment Board of Appeals.
• Approved the reappointment of Kenneth Johnson to the Alcoholic Beverage Commission.
• Approved the distribution of the KCODE funds as presented. The county commissioners previously approved the fund distribution.
• Approved the purchase of computer software for the county assessor's office for $5,085.
• Approved the Kosciusko County Solid Waste Management District interlocal agreement for the county auditor to serve as the district's controller.
• Approved a resolution for the reduction of the 400 accounts in the county departments' budgets and another one allowing the auditor to act on behalf of the council to address any shortfalls that are discovered after Thursday's council meeting.
Members of the county council are chairman Jim Tranter, vice chairman Brad Tandy, Harold Jones, Tom Anglin, John Kinsey, Maurice Beer and Larry Teghtmeyer. Thursday was Tranter's last meeting. Beginning Jan. 1, Charlene Knispel will serve as councilwoman. [[In-content Ad]]