Commission Discusses EMD, Salary

Crawford County commissioners on July 17 discussed the vacant Emergency Management Director (EMD) position, the salary and who that person would report to.

Commissioners have been without an EMD for several months.

Lesa Mizell tendered her resignation May 9 and passed away June 14.

District 2 Commissioner Jared Boast has — at times — been the county’s unofficial interim EMD.

The commission has spent the last month looking for the next one.

During the July 17 meeting, Presiding Commissioner Steve Black announced that former Bourbon Police Chief Paul Satterfield and Mark Friedman were the only two applicants.

According to minutes from the meeting, commissioners discussed whether the EMD would fall under the umbrella of the commission or the coroner’s office.

Boast said it was under the commission and that’s how it should stay.

Minutes show that Sheriff Darin Layman agreed.

Commissioners also discussed the salary, which is $5,000 annually and up to $10,000 depending upon the declaration of an emergency disaster.

Boast said that salary had been set in 2020.

A discussion followed on the pay ladder, the coroner’s budget and potential salary increases for employees.

Black said during a meeting in June that the county needed to increase salaries.

Collector Pat Schwent asked if the budget officer — County Clerk John Martin — or the commission was in charge.

Black said the budget officer makes recommendations and the commission makes decisions.