Butler County sheriff wants to take over EMA services: What’s really going on?

Jul. 17--Butler County Sheriff Richard Jones wants to take over the county's Emergency Management Agency but officials are finding several issues that could stymie the plan.

The Emergency Management Agency is not a first responder to emergencies, the local police and fire agencies are. The EMA comes into play when incidents above and beyond a normal emergency occur and other resources are required.

For example, when 70-year-old Jay Butterfield became trapped in his grain silo last month, EMA called on the county engineer and water and sewer departments to bring equipment to siphon some of the quicksand-like material out of the tower that was crushing Butterfield.

"We don't own a lot of those resources, we just coordinate them. I think the grain bin incident really highlights the collaboration in this county and both law enforcement and fire bringing in resources they know can help and are willing to help like water and sewer and the engineer's office," EMA Director Matt Haverkos told the Journal-News. "Those were the keys that really made the incident as successful as it was."

The sheriff has been trying to overtake EMA for some time, but until recently the commissioners couldn't consider it because it was prohibited by state law. The takeover is legal now that State Sen. Bill Coley, R-Liberty Twp., inserted a provision in the transportation bill that allows the takeover.

The sheriff wants to halve the EMA staff to two people, which will yield a $150,000 savings and bring more resources to bear, according to Chief Deputy Anthony Dwyer.

Here are five potential pitfalls officials from across the county have mentioned:

1. Prosecutors worry about increased liability

Chief Assistant Prosecutor Dan Ferguson said without a specific plan there are a lot of questions that remain unanswered. One issue is the potential for increased liability and thus increased monetary outlay for the county.

"People have asked you to look at a lot of issues but one of the things I think you should look at is liability issues," Ferguson told the commissioners during a packed meeting Monday.

"Right now I think liability is spread, I'm assuming if you contract with the sheriff there would be some consolidation of liability issues, will CORSA (insurance) come into that, perhaps so, does that give the county another exposure for deductibilities. So just a lot questions right now no answers."

2. Where are the details?

Fairfield Twp. Fire Chief Tim Thomas said officials have continuously asked the sheriff for a written plan but nothing has ever materialized.

"We need to see that written plan so we can decide exactly what is the issue we're concerned with," he said. "He's asking for a blank check, we're not going to sign a blank check, ever. That's not what we're here for, that's not what our residents expect of us."

Dwyer told the Journal-News he needs more information about the agency and its employees before providing a full plan.

3. There is a debate over whether federal funding will disappear with a takeover

The 2019 EMA budget is about $400,000 funded by $300,000 from local jurisdictions and federal grants and another $100,000 for special teams like hazmat. Haverkos said the $150,000 in matching federal money could be halved as well.

"By changing the workforce for what we're doing it does have an impact on that 50 percent grant funding that we receive," Haverkos said. "If me and another person are doing it (EMA work) then those other two people, we would lose the grant funding that we had."

Dwyer told the Journal-News he doesn't believe that grant funding will be negatively impacted by his proposal.

4. Lost EMA experience vs. more total bodies

Dwyer said in addition to the two EMA staffers -- Haverkos has a job if he wants one -- he can have about a dozen of his people helping out with EMA duties. West Chester Twp. resident Ryan McEwan, who is a professional emergency manager, is concerned the county will lose important EMA experts

"I'm a little bit concerned that the sheriff's proposal is premature in the fact I'm not sure they really understand some of emergency management roles and responsibilities," McEwan said. "Today we heard that part of the proposal would be potentially cutting two emergency management staff and replacing them with 12 to 15 sheriff's personnel."

"While I think that's great from a financial perspective, it doesn't take into account you'd be cutting two very skilled, specialized emergency managers and replacing it with 10 to 15 generalists and there is a certain time and learning curve that those 10 to 15 people are going to have to have."

5. $150,000 savings ... is that a lot?

Several people who spoke at the packed commissioners' meeting are concerned the county would be trying to fix something that isn't broken. Jones has said he wants to save the county taxpayers money. Haverkos said he doesn't understand the logic, when the sheriff's 2020 tax budget request represents an 8.8 percent increase.

The sheriff's budget is by far the biggest in the general fund at $40.6 million. Dwyer has said dispatch center and jail under staffing and the need to beef up electronic monitoring staff caused the request for 23 more people.

"I would look at the sheriff's budget which is ten times my budget," Haverkos said. "I think if we're going to take apples to apples then we really need to look at where can we do the best savings for the county. Is it with the smallest budget in the county or is it with the largest budget in the county."

Dwyer said the sheriff's budget request is based on what is needed to run their operation. The EMA proposal he said fits with commissioners' fiscal goals.

"The commissioners at times look at every possible location for savings and that's why the county is in the financial situation they are in compared other cities," Dwyer said. "Because of their diligence. They'll look at big budgets and small budgets and make adjustments when necessary. That's what we're presenting to them, is a cost savings that will be sent back to the entire county for the per capita."

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