Director's office debated

WORTHINGTON -- Where to house the county's emergency management director -- and whether to add more responsibilities to the position -- were at the heart of a discussion Tuesday morning between members of the Nobles County Board of Commissioners and Worthington City Council.

Commissioners, at each of their last two meetings, tabled a request by Sheriff Kent Wilkening to move the office of the emergency management director to the Prairie Justice Center from its current post at the Nobles County Government Center.

Wilkening would like to see the office moved before a new emergency management director is hired, while at least one county commissioner has questioned the need to keep the position full-time. The director's job has been vacant since late December.

Tuesday morning's meeting was meant to bring county and city leaders together to discuss the future role of emergency management, and where best to house the office.

The emergency management director is tasked with developing relationships with law enforcement agencies, emergency responders including fire, rescue and ambulance, public health and family services. Also among the director's duties are grant writing and coordinating trainings among response departments.

County administrator Mel Ruppert said he sees the position as more proactive than reactive.

"In a natural disaster, this person takes the lead -- he also works with FEMA (Federal Emergency Management Agency) on getting any dollars," Ruppert said.

Worthington City Administrator Bob Filson said the city would like to have someone to do fire- and health-related inspections on commercial properties and apartment complexes. He questioned whether the emergency management director could also be responsible for that type of work.

"We probably haven't had business inspections for the past 12 to 15 years," Alderman Roger Nelson said.

The city also would like an individual to do home inspections, and Alderman Lyle Ten Haken asked if there could be a link with emergency management for that type of work as well.

"I think we need to dedicate some efforts on behalf of the city to (do inspections)," Ten Haken added.

While fellow leaders didn't disagree, they believed that would be too much work for one individual to manage.

Commissioner David Benson raised the idea of sharing an emergency management position on a multi-county level, perhaps with adjoining counties along the I-90 corridor. Doing so, he said, would save money at a time when many cities and counties are under budget constraints.

Wilkening did not like the idea of sharing a position with other counties. He said a shared position would lead to slower response times and possibly the director's inability to get to where he or she is needed in the event of a disaster.

Wilkening's reasoning behind relocating the emergency management director to the Prairie Justice Center is to establish a better relationship between the director and law enforcement officials, emergency personnel and dispatchers.

Following the combined city-county meeting Tuesday, commissioners met in a work session to further discuss the option of moving the office to Prairie Justice Center.

Ruppert handed commissioners copies of letters received by department heads Lee McAllister and Stephen Schnieder, and Nobles-Rock Public Health Services consultant Marge Brchan, all recommending that the office of the emergency management director remain at the Government Center. Worthington Mayor Alan Oberloh also wrote a letter in support of keeping the office where it is, while letters from Wilkening and members of the Emergency Management Planning Advisory Committee (EMPAC) submitted letters in favor of the office's move to the Prairie Justice Center.

Commissioners are expected to make a decision on the office's location during their next meeting, which is slated for 9 a.m. Feb. 21.