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Commissioners spar over emergency management coordinator line in proposed budget
Summary
Commissioners debated whether to fund a separate emergency management coordinator position or instead allocate $10,000 for contract services; one commissioner said counties can operate without the position, while others insisted statutory duties fall under the county judge.
Commissioners at the Coryell County special meeting debated whether the proposed budget should include a paid emergency management coordinator. The County Judge said emergency management "falls under the county, judge" and invoked statutory guidance that certain necessary departmental functions cannot be left unfunded. The judge added that statutory roles mean the county judge functions as the emergency management coordinator.
A Commissioner countered that while the County Judge is the emergency management coordinator by statute, "nothing says that you have to have a position also because there are lots of counties that do not, and we've been operating without it for 2 years." Another Commissioner said the proposal was not intended to defund the department and noted an alternative of placing "10,000 in there for contract services" to allow the county to contract as needed. That commissioner stated plainly: "We will not be defunding that department." The court did not adopt a final change on the line during this session; members suggested the issue would be revisited in the final proposed budget presented in the afternoon reconvening.
