Sheriff, emergency manager clarify statements made at jail meeting

Bourbon County Commissioners learned Tuesday some statements made during a March 10 public meeting to discuss the jail project were inaccurate.

Space was not added to accommodate an emergency operation center, as having an area to accommodate for emergency operations has always been part of the plan, Bourbon County Emergency Manager William Wallis and Sheriff Bill Martin said.

Larry Goldberg, president of Goldberg Group Architects of St. Joseph, Mo., statement on March 3 he added 2,000 square feet to the jail design to include an EOC. Goldberg and also said the idea for the EOC was his. After the meeting, Goldberg also said sometimes when designing a jail, his firm adds to the plan to accommodate the wishes of a sheriff or other officials, but sometimes those additions are removed if they increase the cost of the project, he said.

Wallis said Tuesday even though he and the sheriff talked early in the new jail planning stages about having space to conduct emergency operations, it would not be the "established" EOC, as some people thought after hearing Goldberg. The county already has an established EOC in the courthouse basement, and what Goldberg was referring to was a continuing of operations (C.O.O.P.) site, which is different than an EOC, Wallis said.

"For the record, our EOC in Bourbon County is registered with the state of Kansas for the state-approved emergency operations plan, which is established every five years," Wallis said. "It is registered and signified right here in the courthouse."

Wallis said he has the authority to establish a C.O.O.P. at any location.

"If this facility would be blown away, we would have to, according to the plan, I have to identify and then nail it down to exact owner and address, a C.O.O.P. site, and EOC, and alternates, as well," Wallis said.

Wallis said when Martin was initially working on the contract for the new Bourbon County Law Enforcement Center, Martin asked Wallis if he would like to have space in the new facility.

"I said absolutely," Wallis said.

Wallis said the county receives $17,000 annually from an Emergency Performance Grant. A portion of that could be used in that facility as soon as the site is officially designated.

He said the new jail facility would be a "great place" to use the EMPG funds that are available, Wallis said.

"But I know you have a budget to go by and a set figure, which I would definitely honor that, to not exceed that," Wallis said.

He said the new jail facility is a good site for the primary C.O.O.P. because the walls will withstand hurricane-force winds, the new facility would be secure and have all the amenities required by emergency management, such as generated power, Internet access and email capabilities.

"If this site (the courthouse) would be rendered unsafe to be in, we would be -- and I'm talking senior staff in this facility -- would relocate to there," Wallis said. "Everything would be redundant and available at that location for you to set up, make phone calls and have email support."

Later, he said the room in the jail would have a bank of phone and computer lines so communication and computer equipment could be moved in when needed.

Wallis attended the March 10 meeting, but he said he did not think that was the time to correct statements that were made by Goldberg or Fort Scott City Manager Dave Martin.

During that meeting, Dave Martin said the city and county worked well together during the April 2013 hailstorm, and he questioned the need for an additional alternate EOC location.

"The site that Dave talked about was prior to me," Wallis said Tuesday. "At that time, Paul Ballou was acting deputy emergency manager and Shane (Walker) was assistant. So it made good sense to meet down there (at the police department) because of Paul's affiliation with the city and Shane's as well."

Later he said Dave Martin was referring to a particular incident.

"Shane clarified it to me after (the March 10 meeting) that they were occupying a space down there in the back part of their facility," Wallis said. "First of all, that thing is all metal. Second of all, that thing is going to be flattened if we get any type of serious tornadic wind."

Wallis said a primary C.O.O.P. would be operational if a disaster would last longer than 24 hours. The county's mobile unit is available to use during disasters lasting less than 24 hours, and during brief events, emergency coordination can take place "in the field," he said.

Bill Martin said the initial drawing presented prior to the April 7 bond election to support the project had always identified an area for an training room/EOC. He said during public forums prior to the election, statements were made that a portion of the administration area was identified as a training/EOC area, training room or multi-purpose room, "anything that room would be used for would be in the administration side of that building."

"For some reason, everybody got locked onto the acronym of EOC and it just continually mushroomed out and went from there," Bill Martin said.