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By Jana Mathia
Gazette Reporter 

Parks, developmental service joins with emergency management

 


Whitman County commissioners Monday approved reorganization of the county Parks and Recreation Department and Developmental Disabilities Department to combine them with Emergency Management/Emergency Communications. Bill Tensfeld, emergency management director, will take on some additional responsibilities, including reporting to the commissioners on the departments.

There will be no change in department services.

“We looked at a variety of scenarios,” said Janel Goebel, who has been serving as interim director since the retirement of Parks and Recreation Director/Development Services County Coordinator Tim Myers.

Goebel and Tensfeld looked at the logistics and costs associated with different options for the departments and combining with emergency management was not only the best fit, but showed cost savings to the county from what has been budgeted for this year.

“Our expectation is that this scenario will continue the level of service and care that we’ve provided in the previous years,” Goebel said.

The departments already share office space in the Public Service Building. As part of the change, Goebel will become the county coordinator for developmental disabilities services. Previously, she also worked in the parks department as a program coordinator. Myers’ duties, which were 50 percent parks and 50 percent developmental services, will be split with Goebel taking the D.S. side with a parks superintendent to be hired to fill the other half. Goebel noted the new superintendent will be able to spend more time in the field helping the county’s two park rangers manage the county’s six park sites.

A full-time clerical office person will also be hired to support all the departments. The new employee will be trained by Goebel, who has 20 years experience with her departments, and Robin Cocking, emergency management deputy director who has more than 30 years experience.

By combining, the departments will have the potential to share resources and personnel, whether it be Goebel doing stints with parks programs or rangers assisting emergency management, should the need arise.

The parks director position hiring closes June 23. The office person position closes July 7. Both positions should be trained and going by Aug. 1.

Author Bio

Jana Mathia, Reporter

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Jana Mathia is a reporter at the Whitman County Gazette.

 

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