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Council hears OEM reliance on federal grants, calls for plan to move staff to city payroll and upgrade emergency operations center
Summary
At a March 27 hearing councilors probed the Office of Emergency Management about heavy federal grant reliance for staff salaries and the need for an improved emergency operations center. OEM staff described current grant dependencies, contingency planning and an upcoming hazard mitigation grant the council will be asked to accept.
City councilors asked the Office of Emergency Management (OEM) on March 27 to explain how much of its operating capacity depends on federal grants and what contingency steps the administration would take if that funding decreased.
Councilor Ed Flynn and other members emphasized that OEM carries out functions critical to city‑wide public safety and regional coordination and said they want more positions shifted onto the city’s operating budget to reduce reliance on federal awards.
OEM staffing and grant reliance
Assistant Deputy Chief Andrew Balaniars (Office of Emergency Management) told the committee OEM has about 25 staff. "We have about 25 staff people. I think approximately 5 of them are fully on the operating budget. The remaining 20 are, then…
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