ITEM 5 Reorganization Phase 4-Emergency managmentY 0
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MEMORANDUM
TO: Mayor and City Council
FROM: Lori Johnson, City Administrator
DATE: February 15, 2013
SUBJECT: Reorganization Phase Four � Emergency Management
Over the past year the City has undertaken a reorganization of positions and areas of
responsibility to meet the City's changing needs. The reorganization is almost complete with
the exception of addressing and assigning emergency management functions.
Currently, emergency management duties fall mainly to the City Administrator. As, we have
discussed previously, this is not the appropriate position to serve as the emergency
management coordinator`/director. Typically, either the police or fire chief serves as the City's
emergency management director. That is the ideal situation; however, because the City
contracts for both of those services, that is not possible here.
There are two probable options to fulfill the emergency management duties: 1. Hire a part
tirrie public safety employee trained in emergency management. 2. Assign the emergency
management duties to an existing position on an interim basis.
For several reasons, assigning these duties to an existing position is the recommended short
term solution. First, funds are not included in the 2013 budget to hire emergency management
or public safety staff. Most important though is the timing of assigning this function in order to
update and enhance to the City's emergency management plan. Assigning the function to an
existing staff member allows that work to begin now. The one shortfall of assigning the duties
is that there is not a public safety or emergency management professional to whom to assign
the duties. That must be clearly understood when the decision to assign the duties is made
because it means that additional training and time are to be expected to provide the resources
needed for the employee to be successful in this assignment,
The question then becomes which position takes on these duties until the City hires a public
safety employee. The two departments outside of public safety that are often called upon in a
natural disaster are the building safety department and the public works department. Because
the City contracts for building safety services, that is not an option. Thus, the position that is
the most logical and recommended choice to assign these to is the chief public works position,
the Street Maintenance Supervisor, This position mould be responsible to lead and coordinate
the City's emergency management team.
At Monday's meeting, please provide input and direction on how to proceed with assignment
of the emergency management duties.
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