Stoud to take EMA helm

BY STACI WILSON

A former member of the Pennsylvania State Police will take over the helm of Susquehanna County’s emergency management department.

Robert Stoud was hired Wednesday, Aug. 8, by the commissioners as the new county emergency management coordinator, effective Sept. 1.

Commissioner Alan Hall said Stoud has 20 years experience with the state police and upper level management experience. Hall also said he already has several of the required certifications needed by an emergency management coordinator. “He was the best qualified candidate we interviewed,” Hall said.

The commissioners reported they interviewed four people for the position.

Stoud will replace Charlene Moser who resigned from the position on Aug. 1.

Prior to the commissioners’ meeting, a county salary board meeting was held where the starting salary for the emergency management coordinator position was set at $40,000 per year. The salary will be increased to $45,000 per year after the successful completion of a six-month probationary period.

When Moser was hired as the coordinator in October 2008,  the starting salary was $33,798.96 for the position.

In other EMA matters, Training Officer Paul Johnson was named as the county’s applicant/agent for Tropical Storm Lee; Hurricane Irene; the Hazard Mitigation Grant Program (HMGP) mitigation plan update; and the HMGP Buy Out.

The commissioners also held a scheduled, public hearing regarding proposed amendments to the county’s Subdivision and Land Development Ordinance.

The proposed amendments were meant to address Act 13 requirements dealing with natural gas and specifically with natural gas compressor stations. The county ordinance has an amendment, adopted into law in January 2011 that addresses compressor stations.

CountyPlanningDirector Bob Templeton said that planning commission members, as of the July 31 meeting of the board, were requesting no action be taken by the commissioners at this time.

Templeton said that with a recent court ruling on zoning aspects of Act 13, amendments to the ordinance would not be required as those aspects of the law would not take effect.

During the public comment portion of the meeting, and not recorded in meeting minutes, the commissioners were questioned about their meeting withPennStateregarding the county’s 4-H program.

Commissioner MaryAnn Warren said the county askedPennStateto come back with a proposal. A letter fromPennStatehad been received in the Aug. 8 mail, she said, but said she had not opened it yet.

Hall said he wantedPennStateto provide for a 4-H coordinator inSusquehannaCounty, the same as other counties in the state have. “Our kids are just as worthy,” he said.

Vera Scroggins asked the commissioners what money has come to the county from gas companies through taxes, fees, etc.

Hall said the gas companies have provided for many jobs. He also said the county has received revenue in the form of fees paid by title searchers working on behalf of the industry.

Edna Paskoff asked about the alert system now available in the county. She asked if the program was funded by the $1.50 assessed by telephone carriers. Hall said the $1.50 charge goes to fund 911.

The alert system was funded through the Northeast PA Regional County Terrorism Task Force.

Paskoff also said that if  person does not have email or text messaging then the alert service is of no use.

Hall said the same messages come over the radio and television as the ones transmitted via text message and email by the alert system.

Bruce Paskoff asked why a WPX representative was allowed to respond to statements made by another audience member at the July 25 commissioners meeting.

Hall said the issue of gas drilling is brought up at every meeting. He went on to say that the county has no authority over natural gas drilling. State and federal agencies have authority over the industry, Hall said. “And those agencies respond and are doing there jobs.”

“Why was the meeting turned over to a representative of the gas company?” Paskoff asked. “Don’t you think it’s your role? Why don’t you have a comment?”

“No comment,” Hall said.

Scroggins said that even though the county has no authority, as citizens and fellow residents (the commissioners) have “an interest to advocate for some of these areas. Why ‘no comment?’”

“No comment,” Hall answered again and the meeting was adjourned.