Emergency management budget trimmed after generator move; commissioners review grant match and full-time hire plan

Emergency management staff reviewed a line-by-line budget and discussed grant reimbursements, equipment maintenance and personnel changes.

Speaker 5 explained that moving a generator expense to the courthouse would reduce the emergency management budget total and that a $1,500 floodplain line must remain as a county-funded expense because it is not reimbursable. Speaker 5 said the state will reimburse a portion of wages under an EMPG arrangement; the grant was described in the meeting as matching wages on a 55/45 split for a multiyear period, but staff clarified the match applies to wages, not all office expenses.

Commissioners also revisited a previous decision to make a position ‘‘Subby’’ full time beginning Jan. 1, 2026. Speaker 2 explained how wages were calculated (base pay plus a 5% raise) and warned that benefits and payroll taxes must be included when converting hourly wages to total compensation. The commission discussed proposed figures (examples discussed included $47,000 for a department head-equivalent number and $39.05k for the other position as budgeting references) and asked staff to reconcile wages, benefits and grant reimbursement details before final approval.

Why it matters: EMPG and other grant rules affect the county’s net personnel costs; moving the generator line and clarifying nonreimbursable items change year-end estimates and the county general-revenue obligation.

Next steps: Staff will revise the emergency management budget worksheet to reflect the generator transfer, make the floodplain expense explicit in the county budget, and provide final wage-and-benefit totals showing the net county cost after state reimbursement.