Emergency management director resigns

BY STACI WILSON

A spate of resignations from county employees and various appointed board members drew questions from the audience at the Susquehanna County Commissioners meeting on Wednesday.

The resignation of Emergency Management Director Charlene Moser, effective Aug. 1, elicited concern among those attending the meeting.

Audience member Pauline Fallon said the loss of Moser from the position was a “great loss to the county. It will be difficult to replace someone with her dedication.”

Moser worked for the county for over 11 years in emergency services, starting out in the 911 department and then moving to emergency management as the operations and training officer before taking over as director in 2008.

Operations and Training Officer Paul Johnson will cover the director’s duties until a newEMACoordinator is hired by the county.

The commissioners accepted Moser’s resignation with regret.

Moser said she had accepted a position with a new employer but had spent weeks deliberating over whether or not to leave her emergency services.

But the emergency management director is not the only one leaving county employment.

Children and Youth Director Susan Adamec’s resignation for the purpose of retirement, effective Jan. 7, 2013, was also accepted, with regret, by the commissioners.

The resignation of Susan Stoud from the prothonotary’s office, effective July 27, was acknowledged by the commissioners.

In addition to county employees leaving, the resignation of Jack Taylor from the economic development advisory committee of the Northern Tier Regional Planning and Development Commission, effective July 1, was also accepted with regret.

Domestic Relations worker Christina Lee resigned from the Intake Officer position, effective Aug. 1, and will immediately take over the job of Finance/Enforcement Officer within the department.

One audience member told the commissioners, “There are an awful lot of resignations and that’s concerning to a lot of people.”

Hall said, “It’s a mixed bag as to why people are leaving.”

The commissioner chair said, that while county benefits and pensions were good, salaries paid to the public employees was not on par with what they can make in the private sector.

Fallon asked if those leaving the county employ were given exit interviews, and specifically, if Moser had been given one.

Hall said he had not conducted an exit interview with Moser.

Chief Clerk Sylvia Beamer said all employees are allowed to have an exit interview if they so desire.