DOWNEY - The newly-created position of Emergency Preparedness Coordinator will earn an annual salary between $64,222 - $79,560 after approval by the City Council on Tuesday.Reporting to the assistant fire chief, the focus of the position will be to plan, manage and coordinate the city-wide emergency preparedness program, said Irma Youssefieh, human resources director for the city. The position will operate in an "administrative professional level" capacity and is exempt from overtime pay, she added. The new position is budgeted to begin in January, after the retirement of emergency services manger Mark Sauter. Sauter, the former fire chief, is a contract employee and works out of the police department. "I think the city is better prepared now than we were two years ago," said Fire Chief Lonnie Croom. The person hired for the position is expected to have experience working with FEMA, Croom added. Also on Tuesday, the City Council approved an identical salary range for the new position of Senior Management Analyst. The position will serve as a project manager and will "plan, schedule, coordinate and perform a variety of projects and programs" for the Community Development Department.

********** Published: July 28, 2011 - Volume 10 - Issue 15