July 4, 2009 — A joint effort providing residents of Claremore and Rogers County is the victim of a tight economy.
A partnership in which the two governmental entities have shared an emergency management director has ended.
Claremore slashed its $25,000 contribution to the position for the 2009-10 budget, leaving Rogers County as the sole financial provider for the position.
Claremore will now have its own emergency management director.
Bob Anderson will continue in his role with the county. Despite the decrease in funding from the city, there will be operating capital to sustain Anderson for another year.
Claremore City Manager Troy Powell said the cuts were purely economic and were not a reflection on Anderson’s work.
The two entities will continue to work together. Oklahoma counties are required to have an emergency director. Many municipalities do have a designated director, but are not required by statute to have one.
At the county level, Anderson will still coordinate emergencies and is the person who would request an emergency declaration from the governor in the event of a major disaster. So, Rogers County and Claremore will continue to work together when it a disaster occurs. The only difference will be Claremore will have Fire Chief Mark Dowler running point for the city.
It is about economics. The decisions to pare down personnel in anyway it can is pushing municipalities to give its employees multiple hats of responsibility.
While the city’s decision is understandable, hopefully it is not a sign of things to come. Rogers County and Claremore need to find more ways to work together than apart. In the long run it will be better for everyone.
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Randy Cowling, managing editor
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