ELY – City council members here approved an updated job description for the city’s emergency management director position Tuesday night, and agreed to post the position internally within the police department. But at least one council member balked at a 66-percent wage increase for the post as recommended by the employee relations committee.
According to minutes from the March 24 meeting of the employee relations committee, the responsibility for emergency management was part of the fire chief’s job description when it was a full-time position. When the fire department lead position was reduced to part-time, the emergency management duties were not redefined and the position was in flux until police Sgt. George Burger took them over. He was paid $300 per quarter. Burger left the state last summer and the position has been vacant since then.
Under new duty responsibilities, as approved by the employee relations committee, the emergency management director would report to the police chief and be in close communication with the mayor, city council, fire chief and all city personnel. The new director would provide quarterly reports to the city council and would work with all area emergency response agencies, including the emergency preparedness group.
The employee relations committee recommended a pay of $500 per quarter for the police officer who performed the duties above and beyond law enforcement responsibilities.
“I’m just curious how we ended up with the 66-percent increase in compensation for this position,” said council member Al Forsman. “This (new) person won’t have all the training that would be necessary.”
Ely Assistant Police Chief Mike Lorenz, who was attending the council meeting for Police Chief Chad Houde, could not add any insight on how the pay amount was determined by the chief, and offered to get more information.
Clerk-Treasurer Harold Langowski noted that the official job description presented to the council indicated that the compensation for the emergency management director would be determined by the council. “The point was to get the position posted internally within the police department, and if that is something the council wants to negotiate later, that is certainly a route you can go,” he said.
Council member Paul Kess said that with all the responsibilities asked of an emergency management director, “the compensation doesn’t seem excessive.”
Mayor Roger Skraba, added, “I tend to agree. I don’t like comparing to other communities, but I don’t think many have an emergency management director. If we can get one, having one as a police officer is even better.”
Forsman also voiced concerns over a police officer incurring overtime in training and doing the job of emergency management.
Lorenz said most of the training for emergency management is now done online.
“We do training like that when we have time while working our regular shift,” he said.
Langowski added that in conversations with Chief Houde, “We are looking to expand upon what the emergency manager’s role used to be and what the council envisions it to be in the future,” he said. “We are looking at more involvement, bringing the other departments together, bringing the emergency preparedness group together. As part of the intent of the revised job description, compensation is just a recommendation.”
Council members approved the revised job description, and agreed to post the position internally within the police department without stipulating compensation.
In other business, the council:
• Approved hiring Chad Gregerson for the Electrical Line Worker IV position.
• Approved a recommendation from the Ely Utilities Commission to allow Treehouse Broadband to modify their lease and install a new equipment room in the base of the water tower.
• Approved a request from MIDCO Communications to use a portion of the old city garage for equipment storage, at $300 per month, during their fiber upgrade project in the city.
• Approved the Fourth of July parade route and approved a Music in the Park event for Saturday July 2 in Whiteside Park.
• Approved a temporary liquor license for Northeastern Minnesota for Wilderness for an event in the Chapman Street Pocket Park on Saturday, July 2.
• Approved a temporary liquor license for the Ely Folk School for an event at Semer’s Park on Wednesday, May 11.