EMA planning second emergency preparedness exercise
By Barry H. Hendrix

The Clarke County Emergency Management Agency plans to sponsor another countywide emergency preparedness exercise in 2008. The problem is a lack of funding from the Federal Department of Homeland Security.

Roy Waite, the county EMA director, told the county commission Monday that the county received approximately $10,500 in Homeland Security funds for a federally mandated hazardous materials exercise held in Thomasville in 2006.

EMAofficials want to hold an exercise involving a mock school shooting this year. "We're going to be limited on resources in putting this on," Waite said, "but we all feel it's very important that we do it."

A date for the exercise has not been set. Waite has attended similar school shooting prevention exercises performed recently in Monroeville and Baldwin County.

"It's unfortunately quite expensive to put these exercises on," he said. The paperwork is enormous in order to meet the Homeland Security exercise evaluation program guidelines. In addition, area agencies may have to pay overtime for officials who participate in the exercise.

Other business

In other action from the Tuesday commission meeting, permanent status was granted to Nick Norwood and Eunice Rouse, employees at the Clarke County Jail, Deputy Joe Allen with the sheriff's department and a dump truck driver Sherman Roper with the Road and Bridge Department.

•The mileage rate for county employees was raised to 50.5 cents - based on state rates.

•Sam Hughston was appointed to the board of the Twin Rivers Economic Development Partnership. He was recommended by the Jackson City Council and replaces Paul Parham, who resigned in November.

•The county courthouse will be closed Jan. 21 for Martin Luther King Jr.'s birthday.

•Surfacing work on County Road 17 is awaiting better weather conditions, said County Engineer Sam Noble.

•A majority of the repair work at the Clarke County Board of Education building has been completed, Noble said.

•Commissioner Paul Bradford is asking for a mid-year evaluation of the county budget, possibly as soon as the second meeting in February.

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