Talbot County council approves local emergency planning committee appointments and related reappointments

The Talbot County Council approved new appointments and reappointments to the county’s Local Emergency Planning Committee (LEPC) and confirmed a separate appointment to the county weed committee.

Under the County Manager’s report, the council considered a group list of candidates supported by Emergency Services Director Bridal LaCates. The appointments approved as a group included Michael Copeland (emergency preparedness manager, University of Maryland Medical System Shore Regional Health), Rich Taylor (Talbot County Health Department public emergency health planner), Sarah Jane Kershaw (American Red Cross, Eastern Shore disaster program), Robert Bonner (Community Emergency Response Team representative), Mike Carl Owens (Talbot County Public Schools security coordinator), Sarah Kilman (county communications manager), and Marilyn Hayman (State Highway Administration representative). The council moved and seconded the group approval; the roll call recorded ayes from council members present.

The council then approved reappointments to the LEPC: Dana Mentzer (Mentzer Oil), Nick Greenhawk (assistant superintendent of operations, Easton Utilities), Matthew Spence (media, WCEI), Dr. Sharon (Talbot County Public Schools — last name not specified in the record), Micah Resher (Easton Airport), and Sheriff Joe Gamble (law enforcement representative). A roll-call vote recorded unanimous support for those reappointments among the members voting.

Separately, the council approved an appointment to the weed committee; that motion was moved and seconded and passed by roll call during the same meeting.

Council members did not provide further implementation details in the meeting minutes for specific duties, start dates or terms for the appointees; Emergency Services staff and county administration were listed as the points of contact for the LEPC composition.