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Officer proposes village Office of Emergency Management; trustees to review resolution and bylaws
Summary
Officer Ed Ackley presented a proposal to establish an Office of Emergency Management for Ballston Spa, outlining roles, mutual-aid relationships, training and NIMS-based systems. Trustees agreed to review the materials and return the item to new business for further action.
Officer Ed Ackley told trustees he was presenting a formal proposal to create an Office of Emergency Management for the village, describing emergency management as "the capstone of all branches of government working together for public safety." He asked the board to review the packet and consider adopting a resolution to form the office and its founding bylaws.
Nut graf: Creating an Office of Emergency Management would centralize planning, drills, mitigation, and mutual-aid coordination among local fire, police, DPW, utilities and neighboring jurisdictions. The proposal would also position the village to access certain state grants tied to recognized emergency-management structures.
Ackley walked trustees through the proposed structure: a trustee designated as emergency manager overseeing a coordinator, deputies drawn from fire, police, DPW and other specialties, and committees representing businesses and residents to assemble resources such as shelter space, blankets and transportation during an event. He emphasized the all-hazards approach and cited NIMS (National Incident Management System) and Incident Command as foundational systems to maintain accountability and resource management.
Trustees and local chiefs asked logistical questions about mutual-aid partners and next steps. Chief Currow (present) said CP Rail law enforcement is participating in a rail-incident drill and indicated the police department will be part of the effort. Ackley recommended the board approve a resolution to form the office and asked trustees to also sign bylaws and review the village’s comprehensive emergency management plan.
Direction, not a final action: The board did not adopt a final resolution at this meeting. Instead trustees agreed to review the submitted materials and discuss the item further at a future meeting under old or new business; the mayor asked that any concerns or edits be routed through a designated liaison for coordination before the next meeting.
Ending: Trustees asked staff to reconcile the proposed draft’s administrative details (for example, correcting fiscal-year dates and removing overly prescriptive language) and to compare the draft with neighboring jurisdictions’ emergency plans to avoid redundant arrangements. The mayor asked for clarifications and asked trustees to return detailed comments by email ahead of the next scheduled discussion so that the resolution can be brought back in revised form.
