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Emergency management director says $29,000 stipend, volunteer program underreview; tabletop planned for new rail service
Summary
Emergency Management Director Aguilar described a small stipend and extensive volunteer operations during the committee’s budget hearing and outlined a June tabletop exercise to prepare for the new rail service; councilors said they will explore raising the EMA stipend by ordinance and asked for a formal review.
Director Aguilar (Emergency Management Agency) told the finance committee that the EMA director’s city stipend is $29,000 and that the position has a large volunteer component that supplements city emergency response. Aguilar said the stipend had grown slowly over many years and that volunteers provide rehab, water and other on‑scene functions for firefighters.
Aguilar told the committee he manages roughly 18 volunteers who complete a multi‑month training program including fire ground safety, emergency operations center procedures and vehicle/equipment exams. He said the EMA has received federal and state grant funding over the years—“well over $500,000 since 2004,” he said—including an Emergency Preparedness Grant (EPG) of $36,500 and a CERT grant of $5,000 in the most recent year. Aguilar said the EMA uses grant money to buy equipment (for example, $8,000 this year for dive team equipment) and to purchase vehicles; the Fire Department helps maintain and fuel EMA vehicles.
Several councilors said $29,000 is low for the responsibilities described and asked the council to consider ordinance changes that would increase the stipend or reclassify the position. A councilor said they would co‑sponsor a resolution to send the issue to the Ordinance Committee for review. Aguilar said he is open to an ordinance review and that some stipend elements are constrained by Chapter 148 (fee and ordinance structure) and by how the position has historically been funded.
Aguilar also described a planned tabletop exercise on June 10 at 10 a.m. at Fire Headquarters to test multi‑agency response to incidents tied to the new rail service; participants will include police, fire, EMS, area hospitals (including St. Anne’s), Met Flight and regional partners. Aguilar said the exercise will satisfy an annual LEPC (Local Emergency Planning Committee) requirement and help the city qualify for federal preparedness grants.
Why this matters: councilors praised EMA volunteers and the director’s preparations for rail‑related incidents but said compensation policy and organizational support deserve formal review. Councilors asked for a written ordinance referral and for staff to return with options for stipend changes and potential funding sources.
