On a 3-1 vote, the Hubbard County Soil and Water Conservation District (SWCD) board decided to rescind its E911 administrative contract with the county.
The decision follows the retirement of Bill Alden, district SWCD technician and E911 coordinator. His position will not be filled, the board determined in a special meeting Monday.
Alden had worked approximately 50 percent of the time on E911 implementation and updates and 50 percent as a technician.
After considerable discussion, the board ultimately followed the recommendation of SWCD district administrator Michelle Prosser.
"There is no need for a technician at this time," she told the board.
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Prosser also recommended against renewing the E911 contract with the county. "It's hard to justify keeping a program that has nothing to do with the SWCD," she said.
Prosser told the board she and Marilyn Berry, district secretary, could not continue with E911 responsibilities, for which they've had brief tutelage, but could take over Alden's technical responsibilities.
With three working in the SWCD office, "we were over budget," Prosser said. "Two will put us in the black."
Board member Don Sells pointed out assuming E911 implementation a decade ago had generated revenue for the SWCD. "Do we need the funds?"
"The commissioners are not anxious to take this back," Duane Splittstoesser said of a conversation with county commissioners.
Currently, the SWCD receives $20,919 annually from the county for E911 work, an allocation that has remained the same since 1991, chair Doug Ralston pointed out.
Ralston addressed a negative scenario of cutting back on staff. "E911 offers financial flexibility... If we give it up, it will be difficult to get back." But he also noted the county is looking at cutbacks. "The flexibility to respond to future opportunities is something of a luxury."
The board discussed advertising the E911 position as part-time with the option of adding technical responsibilities. But Prosser advised a four-year degree in a field of natural resources would be required.
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Berry reminded the board that when the SWCD was given the E911 contract, "we were the only department with a GIS (geographic information system). Now the county's in a different position. The county has the capabilities to take this over."
At the request of Carol Berg, the board reviewed job descriptions before making the determination.
Splittstoesser voted in opposition to the motion to rescind the contract with the county. Board member Don Rettinger was absent, but had indicated to Berg that he would back such a measure.
A formal letter will be sent to the county notifying them of the resolution.
