Emergency management seeks full‑time planner position shared with rural fire; commissioners debate timing

Geary County emergency management staff proposed adding a full‑time planner position shared between emergency management and rural fire, saying the role would handle continuity planning, hazard mitigation updates, grant work and day‑to‑day coverage when senior staff are unavailable.

The department director (identified in the presentation as Kenny) and assistant Kirk Yolanki described the position as a dual‑purpose planner who would learn emergency management operations, help maintain COOP (continuity of operations) and hazard-mitigation plans, and assist with grant administration. Kenny told commissioners the job would free current staff to pursue grants and manage incident command during major events.

Why it matters: commissioners were receptive to the idea of expanding capacity but asked about timing, cost, and the risk that a new hire could be poached after being trained. Commissioners suggested alternatives, including hiring a part‑time planner or recruiting a recent graduate who could be trained and then step up to full time later.

Key points of discussion: commissioners asked whether the new hire would be necessary immediately or whether the county could phase a hire later. Some favored waiting until a clearer retirement timeline for current staff is known; others supported recruiting sooner to allow shadowing and knowledge transfer. The presenter said the department hoped to hire sometime in 2026 and noted local training programs produce candidates with emergency management backgrounds.

Funding: the proposed position would be funded from the general fund; the presenter said wages could be split proportionally if the planner spends time on rural fire duties.

Ending: commissioners asked staff to return with a more detailed job description, estimated salary and a proposed hiring timeline to consider during the budget process.