Interim emergency management coordinator urges readiness planning, CERT training and staffing hire
Get AI-powered insights, summaries, and transcripts
Subscribe
Summary
Gillespie County presented an emergency management budget with no immediate increases but said the county will recruit a permanent coordinator, consider community CERT training and monitor state flood response requirements after recent mutual‑aid deployments.
County emergency management staff briefed officials on the emergency management budget and requested continued support as the county recruits a permanent coordinator.
The county proposed a $304,651 emergency management budget for fiscal 2025‑26, a slight reduction from the previous year with no major staffing increases. Staff said the office will need flexibility to respond to post‑flood state requirements and to leverage potential grants connected to recent incidents.
Staffing and training: Frank, serving as interim emergency management coordinator, said the county has posted the permanent position and received a small applicant pool; commissioners instructed staff to form an interview panel with city and county representatives. County leaders also discussed reviving community CERT (Community Emergency Response Team) training and bolstering volunteer and employee readiness. Officials noted prior CERT training was largely provided by volunteers and grant‑funded equipment; future iterations may require instructor costs.
Why it matters: The county has recently deployed resources to regional incidents and hosted recovery operations; local officials said building community capacity and cross‑agency training is a priority for future resilience.
Discussion vs. decision: The court and council asked staff to continue recruitment and to develop a training and community‑engagement plan; no personnel appointment was made at the workshop.
Ending: Officials asked for a return presentation once a candidate pool is narrowed and for a plan showing costs and grant opportunities for CERT and community training.