The Marion County Board has reapproved the appointment of Andrew Strong as Coordinator of the Marion County Emergency Management Agency now that the state has approved his hiring.
The board Tuesday night gave approval to an Intergovernmental Agreement with the City of Salem to operate their EMA. Now that the agreement is in place, the Marion County EMA will gain access to the city’s three EMA vehicles. The county will be required to keep the vehicles for five years and return them to the city if the agreement is terminated.
The board also addressed other needs of the emergency services agency. They approved money to purchase a new generator to replace a no longer operating generator at the EMA offices at the fairgrounds. TOP Electric was approved for the $16,000 project. The generator is key to keeping the county’s outdoor warning system operational in the event of a power outage. The board also approved a request to purchase one of two newer used vehicles at a cost of $20,413 over the objection of three board members. They held off on a request to purchase a second vehicle to leave some money in the EMA’s $60,000 budget for other needs that arise.
Strong argued for the second vehicle, but the board felt with the three vehicles coming from Salem, the donation of two other vehicles being retired from the sheriff’s department fleet, and the department’s two currently operating vehicles, that was enough to get started. Strong wants take home vehicles for the five command staff so they can respond from their homes. The other vehicles will be used for the ten other volunteers who respond to calls.
The board also approved the surplusing of non-functioning EMA vehicles, including an ambulance and side-by-side. Money from the sale will go into the county’s general fund.
The board also gave approval to the sheriff’s department to purchase two new squad vehicles now that money has been properly added to the budget. The $136,000 cost is coming from the sheriff’s department being $218,000 over budget for housing federal prisoners.
County Board Chair Steve Whritenour announced Bellwether would not be able to take on the duty of being part-time county administrator until at least December when the county’s new fiscal year begins. As a result, the $48,000 line item for the position is being removed from this year’s budget.
