MOUNT VERNON — A special joint meeting of the Knox County Emergency Management Agency Board and the Knox County 9-1-1 Board on Thursday afternoon was held to work through questions recently raised by some members of the 9-1-1 Board regarding the hiring, firing and accountability of the director who oversees both 9-1-1 and EMA. The director is hired solely by the EMA Board, which also has the authority to hand out discipline or fire the director.

The possibility of forming a personnel committee with members from both boards, was one solution discussed by the board members. Some members suggested this would provide a way for 9-1-1 Board members to have input into the process.

At the 9-1-1 Board meeting June 3, Fredericktown EMS Chief Rick Lanuzza, who represents the Knox County Fire and EMS chiefs on the board, said he felt because 9-1-1 pays 45 percent of the director’s salary, the board deserved a voice in the hiring process.

Knox County Commissioner Allen Stockberger, who chairs the EMA Board, said Knox County Assistant Prosecutor Chip McConville had issued a legal opinion in the matter which said forming a personnel committee was an option open to the boards.

At the start of Thursday’s meeting, EMA Director Brian Hess expressed concern about adding yet another board or committee to the accountability process which already includes both boards and the Knox County Commissioners.

“I was put in this position and I need to be able to run my office,” Hess told the boards. “Answering to five different boards I’m not able to get my work done.”

Hess also expressed concern about placing people on the personnel committee who he works with on a daily basis such as fire and law enforcement officials. To do so could give those people unfair leverage over him in his daily decision making about allocating resources to those departments, Hess suggested.

Stockberger agreed, and said perhaps a committee including a mayor, a township representative, a county commissioner, a citizen at large, and one more board member was an option the boards should look at more thoroughly.

In response, Fredericktown Mayor Roger Reed, who serves on both boards, said he did not see a reason to change the current system. “I’ve not seen one problem in the way it’s been functioning,” Reed, a member of the boards for 13 years, asserted. “He can’t answer to six different entities, ultimately somebody has to be responsible. If he answers to the EMA Board they should be the ones disciplining.”

Reed urged the 9-1-1 Board members to bring any concerns to the EMA Board for action.

“The EMA Board could technically not listen to them,” Lanuzza countered.

John Hammond, representing Knox County EMS on the 9-1-1 Board, said it didn’t matter exactly what the break down was, as long as the jobs were being done successfully, which all agreed has been the case.

“ I think it’s critical to have one entity [responsible for discipline and hiring] and that’s what we currently have,” said Mount Vernon Fire Chief Shawn Christy, a 9-1-1 Board member.

“If it’s not broke, don’t fix it,” said Hammond.

After the discussion, Lanuzza moved to establish a personnel committee comprised of three EMA Board members and two from the 9-1-1 Board. Cale Grubb, the citizen-at-large member of the 9-1-1 Board, seconded the motion.

Mount Vernon Mayor Richard Mavis, who has served on both boards for many years, suggested the EMA Board make an effort to include more input from the 9-1-1 Board if a situation requiring board action should arise. Many in the room expressed a lack of support for the motion to create another committee. Lanuzza withdrew his motion. “I apologize for muddying up the waters,” he told the boards.

With the promise to work more closely together in the future regarding discipline and hiring, the boards adjourned the special meeting.

9-1-1 Board met briefly following the meeting to pass a motion to approve the expenditure of $24,925 for radio transmission equipment requested by Barber. Calling it an “officer safety issue” Mavis recommended passing the motion because deputies currently are out of radio contact in eastern parts of the county due to equipment shortfalls.

“Officer safety is the number one priority for me,” agreed Reed. Christy urged the board to figure out the long-term goals of the county regarding communication before any further expenditures are approved.

The board also approved the emergency purchase of a new digital recording system for the county 9-1-1 center, which will record all phone calls in and out of the dispatch center. The system will cost $26,860.