Council debates whether to add emergency management coordinator or prioritize aquatics supervisor

City Manager Carl proposed four new staff positions in the FY27 budget, prompting council debate about priorities and whether an emergency management program coordinator should be a permanent hire.

Vice Mayor (speaker S3) said she would support most of the requested positions but asked the council to forgo filling the emergency management coordinator in favor of an aquatic supervisor, arguing the pool program has grown and needs on‑site supervision. "I'd rather see an aquatic supervisor than the emergency management program coordinator," she said.

Carl responded that emergency management has historically been a responsibility added onto other job descriptions and that the work requires a "unique skill set" to modernize plans, run tabletop exercises and secure debris‑removal contracts. He said the role would help the city exercise and implement an emergency plan and make it more usable across departments.

Several council members suggested hiring the emergency management function as a term‑limited or project‑based position — Carl estimated it could take about three years to bring the city current — rather than creating a permanent $130,000‑a‑year payroll line. One council member proposed a three‑year project hire and said that approach would change how they viewed the position.

No final staffing decisions were made; council members asked staff to return with more detail on the proposed positions, costs and whether any new hire could be term‑limited or covered by existing department overtime or duties in the short term.