Commissioners consider appointment of Cliff Karnes as emergency management coordinator with budgeted full-time position

The county judge recommended appointing Cliff Karnes as the countys emergency management coordinator and that the commission fully fund the position beginning Oct. 1. The judge said the county had used a contracted interim arrangement and that events such as the July 4 flooding in a nearby jurisdiction prompted renewed attention to emergency management. Commissioners and department supervisors discussed Karnes qualifications and the need for a full-time coordinator who can work across fire, health and law enforcement. A supervisor identified as Chris, the current supervisor, said the appointment "would be a very wise decision for the county" and described benefits to interagency coordination. During the meeting a motion was made to appoint Cliff Karnes; the motion was moved and seconded and commissioners discussed salary and equipment. The transcript records discussion of a $62,000 annual salary and an Oct. 1 start date. Commissioners also discussed vehicle allocation and the countys communications trailer and whether a different vehicle could be assigned for emergency management use. The transcript does not include a roll-call vote or a formal recorded vote tally in the excerpt; staff and the judge discussed next steps for equipment and office space and indicated the appointment would begin in the budget year starting Oct. 1 if approved. A complete vote record was not captured in the sampled transcript.