Alfalfa County emergency manager seeks MOU with Cherokee to streamline incident response

The county emergency manager outlined plans to negotiate a memorandum of understanding (MOU) with the city of Cherokee so the county can provide formal emergency‑management support when needed. The manager said he has not signed any agreement yet and wants the commissioners' approval before finalizing terms.

The MOU would clarify when the county emergency manager can act for Cherokee and how assets and logistics would be shared. "One of our warming stations and triage stations for the county is the Fairgrounds," the emergency manager said, adding he would serve as an operational middleman with Cherokee and then bring the written MOU back to both bodies. Commissioners asked whether the arrangement would require attendance at city board meetings and raised questions about pay and logistics; the manager said those details have not been worked out.

The manager noted Cherokee already has an emergency manager and that some municipalities typically execute an MOU with the county rather than maintain a separate, full‑time county staffer. "I have not signed an MOU as of yet," he said, and asked the commissioners for their blessing before he discusses a draft with Cherokee's city board. The manager said most operational duties would fall to him during a large incident and that the arrangement should limit financial encumbrances to the county.

Next steps: the emergency manager will continue discussions with Cherokee officials, draft a memorandum of understanding and return the document to the county commissioners for formal consideration and (if approved) signature.