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Emergency Management assistant proposes full-time role; commissioners flag 3% budget cap and ADA concerns for social media
Summary
Ben Gates proposed becoming full‑time Emergency Manager (federal funds to cover roughly $70,000 of salary/benefits); commissioners noted the state’s 3% cap on budget increases and raised ADA compliance concerns about reinstating a Traill County Facebook page.
Emergency Management Assistant Ben Gates discussed proposed changes to the DES budget, offered to become the full‑time Emergency Manager with Sheriff Hunt serving as assistant, and said federal funding would cover approximately half of the Emergency Manager salary and benefits—roughly $70,000 of the budget, as stated in the minutes. Gates also said Steele County would contribute additional funds to maintain the 911 equipment account balance.
Commissioner Elliott noted that the county must remain within the 3% budget increase limit required by state law and indicated the DES request exceeded that threshold as presented. Gates proposed reinstating the Traill County Facebook page and managing it; commissioners said the county already has a website and expressed concerns about ADA compliance and potential fines if a social media page could not be maintained in an accessible form.
The minutes record the DES budget discussion and the commissioners’ caution about the 3% limit and accessibility obligations; the record does not include a final decision or a recorded motion on the DES staffing or Facebook reinstatement.
