Friday, December 17th, 2010

Robbins tapped to head EMA

Current agency director Wanda Dicke stepping down

By Shelley Grieshop
CELINA - A new director - but familiar face - was appointed this week to head up the Mercer County Emergency Management Agency (EMA).
Mike Robbins, of Celina, who has worked as deputy director of the agency since April 2003, was chosen Thursday by county commissioners to replace retiring director Wanda Dicke.
Robbins, 52, will assume his new duties Jan. 1.
He believes the job is made easier because of the people and organizations - such as fire departments and law enforcement - that support the EMA, he said.
"We're more of a coordinating agency, and we've got many well-trained groups working with us," he said.
Robbins is a Celina High School graduate and previously attended Wright State University-Lake Campus, studying business. He spent nearly 25 years as an auxiliary firefighter for the city of Celina before joining the EMA department, he said.
Robbins initially worked under director Karl Kaiser before Dicke - a 16-year EMA veteran - was appointed six years ago.
"Karl had me taking all kinds of training classes," he said, adding he's thankful to have that knowledge under his belt.
He's learned a lot under Dicke's tenure and enjoyed working with her, he added.
The duties performed by the EMA office are mainly dictated by the state and federal EMA branches, he said. The local office is required to keep updated plans for all types of emergencies so response times can be quick and smooth, he added.
Debris management is one of the policies the office recently updated. It provides a protocol to clean up and dispose of materials following ice storms, tornadoes or other disasters, Robbins explained. Handling the fall-out of local hazardous materials spills and possible terrorism acts also is the responsibility of the office.
"People think terrorism can't happen in a small community like this, but it can," Robbins said.
Because the county is rich in agriculture and livestock and has many food processing plants, it could be a potential terrorism target, he said.
Local EMA offices also are tapped to help residents and businesses in applying for financial assistance following disasters.
Robbins believes one of the most important parts of his job is to teach the public to "care for themselves" as much as possible when emergencies strike. The more individuals can do for themselves, the more time emergency crews have to assist others, he said.
Robbins' position won't be filled this year because of the county's tight budget, so he will start with a small employee pool. Other members of the staff include hazardous materials planner Chad Willrath and administrative assistant Sheryle Kuhn.
In other business Thurs-
day, county commissioners:
• Set Jan. 6 as the date to open sealed bids for roadside herbicide application.
• Declared no annual revision to the pay range assignment of the employee compensation plan. Although commissioners reviewed the Consumer Price Index and found it reflected a 1.4 percent increase in urban and clerical wages, they chose to keep pay ranges the same as last year because of the uncertain financial forecast of the county.
Additional online story on this date
MINSTER - The Minster Wildcats got a huge Midwest Athletic Conference win on Thursday night as senior guard Erica Fullenkamp hit a pull-up jumper from the left wing with 2.6 seconds remaining in the game to defeat the Delphos St. John's Blue Jays 44-43 at the Minster Middle School. [More]
Subscriber and paid stories on this date
Resident questions if farmers will be paid for animal waste
CELINA - City council members on Thursday night unanimously approved purchasing power from Optional Energy Partners of Florida, a company that wants to build a manure digester in the city.
Betty Romer makes preparing for Christmas a family affair
ST. HENRY - Holiday tradition takes a decidedly tasty turn at the home of Jack and Betty Romer as family members and even a few neighbor boys roll up their sleeves and make cookies by the dozens.
CELINA - City council members this week approved an ordinance to spend $93,500 for professional engineering and design services for two road projects slated for this year.
FORT RECOVERY - School officials may pursue an energy audit of the high school to discover possible power savings.
The discussion was held this week among administrators and school board members at a board of education meeting.
Sheriff: Suspects are big dealers in Mercer, Auglaize
WAPAKONETA - Local law enforcement officers this week nabbed four men suspected of funneling a large amount of heroin to the Grand Lake area.
Three
NEW KNOXVILLE - The New Knoxville Rangers got their second chance at overtime against a Midwest Athletic Conference foe on Thursday night, and this time they made the extra minutes pay off.
FORT RECOVERY - Paced by good shooting and solid defense, Fort Recovery dominated Parkway from start to finish while staying unbeaten in Midwest Athletic Conference play with a 94-34 win over Parkway on Thursday night at Fort Site Fieldhouse.
Local Roundup
Compiled by Gary R. Rasberry
The Celina girls basketball team improved to 2-0 in the Western Buckeye League after holding off Defiance 49-44 on Thursday night.
Miami University hockey goaltender Cody Reichard will speak and help inline hockey players of the Wings-N-Wheels program on Sunday from 2-3 p.m. at t