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Supervisors hear plea to shore up warming-shelter staffing; attorney outlines limits on forcing county employees
Summary
Emergency management requested assistance staffing warming shelters during severe weather; county attorney advised that employees cannot be compelled unless duties are in the course and scope of employment, and supervisors asked staff to draft policy options and outreach to volunteers.
Adams County emergency management officials urged the board Feb. 5 to address a recurring staffing shortfall at warming shelters and emergency operations centers during storms.
Jacqueline Bradford (Emergency Management) said her small staff currently operates shelters and the EOC during closures and that extended shifts and 12-hour rotations are unsustainable. She said volunteers and community groups historically helped, but county personnel still must be present for liability and operations.
County Attorney Scott Slover advised the board that supervisors cannot generally compel county employees to perform duties outside their course and scope of employment unless those duties are formally made part of their job requirements. He recommended sending guidance to department heads to request volunteers from other departments and said the board could amend job descriptions or emergency plans if it wanted mandatory staffing requirements.
Supervisors discussed drafting policy language to define "essential" and "nonessential" employees during closures, improving advance notice and communication to employees, and creating a volunteer roster with churches and community groups. Several supervisors urged a legal review so the county could adopt language that respects employees' rights while ensuring shelter operations are staffed.
Ending: The board asked staff and the attorney to draft options—legal language, a volunteer outreach plan and potential amendments to emergency plans—and to return with recommendations at a future meeting.
