Commissioners delay decision on hiring deputy emergency manager until budget hearings

February 9, 2023 |

A request by Carbon County Emergency Management Coordinator Lenny Layman to hire an assistant was put on hold by county commissioners. Layman has secured some funding for a deputy. The board was supportive but told Layman they want to delay a decision until budget time.

Layman is a one-man show. He’s responsible for planning, creating, and enacting disaster response programs for the entire county. He also assists municipalities with writing grants for federal disaster assistance.

Last year, Layman received permission from county commissioners to apply for a grant to cover half of the salary of a deputy emergency manager. Layman, with grant money secured, asked the Carbon County Board of County Commissioners on Tuesday to approve the position.

Chairperson Sue Jones said Layman should wait until the annual budget hearings next month to ensure the county has the funding to cover the other half of the deputy’s salary. Layman said he needed an answer now so he could apply for a second salary grant.

In Layman’s original plan, each municipality in Carbon County would contribute towards the remaining half of the deputy emergency manager’s pay. Layman said the plan fell through but didn’t say why or offer details.

The grant application for the deputy emergency manager includes a salary in the range of $56,000 a year. Commissioner Byron Barkhurst asked where the other half of money would come from. Layman said his focus was entirely on getting the grant.

Commissioner John Johnson said he supported hiring a deputy for Layman when the towns were pitching in the other half of the salary. With the funding source no longer on the table, he said the commission needs to keep an eye on the budget.

The commissioners agreed that Layman is doing a great job as the county’s emergency management coordinator. Layman said, with a deputy he could accomplish even more.

The commissioners said the county would benefit from Layman having an assistant. The job may be too much for one person to handle. However, the commission needs to budget for the position first. In the meantime, Chairperson Jones suggested Layman take a vacation.

Layman said no untrained person could effectively cover his job if he takes time off now. He said the commission doesn’t understand what he does.

Chairperson Jones told Layman that the suggestion was not an insult. She added that the board is duty-bound to ensure money is in the budget before approving Layman’s request.

Chairperson Jones reiterated to Layman that delaying the deputy position wasn’t personal. She agreed he needs the help. Jones said it was simply about making sure the county could afford to pay his assistant before they moving forward.

The commission instructed Layman to apply for the next round of salary grants in anticipation of their approval of his deputy emergency manager.