By Monica Wepking, Editor Ron Gall, Charles Mix County (CMC) Emergency Management Director, met with CMC Commissioners on Thursday, August 20, 2009 to discuss a draft of a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) between the County and Cities in the County. "Emergency Shelters are probably one of the things we need the most in the county. The State has said we can't use National Guard Armories for shelters because the Guard will need the Armory for disasters." said Gall. The draft states, "This MOU was developed in recognition that during emergencies due to natural and man-made disasters, people in our communities and rural areas may be in need of taking shelter for short or long periods of time. This MOU is part of a county wide plan to prepare and respond to such incidents. Both the County and City governments have responsibilities during such incidents. This MOU is just one part of the CMC Shelter Plan that will be located in the CMC Local Emergency Operating Plan." The draft MOU lists city responsibilities such as: •Developing and adopting a shelter plan. •Maintaining a list of emergency shelters in the city. •Maintaining MOU's with facility owners if the emergency shelter is not city owned. •Submitting the shelter plan and MOU's to the County Emergency Manager. •Providing a place to keep supplies (cots, blankets, pillows, etc.) •Selecting someone to be the point of contact for opening, operating, and closing emergency shelters in the city. The draft MOU also lists county responsibilities such as: •County Emergency Manager is to work with the city shelter point of contact. •County pays for all supplies to prepare the shelters for use as funding is available. •County pays for all supplies and consumables that are used when a shelter is operated due to an emergency. •County pays for labor hours when a shelter is operated. •County Emergency Manager will process vouchers and paperwork for all funds expended for shelter operations. •County Emergency Manager will forward all costs to the State for possible disaster declaration and reimbursement. •Update and keep County Local Emergency Operations Plan up to date with new City shelter plans. Gall asked the CMC Commissioners if they could look over the MOU and he'd return next month to discuss any concerns or changes. He also requested room to set-up an Emergency Operation Center in CMC. He needed an area to house maps, files and etc. "Before the end of September we have to have a functional exercise on an emergency at this center." CMC Commissioners offered the old Veterans Office in the basement of the Courthouse. "I'll take a look at it," said Gall. "I know if we move in here we will need to purchase a new emergency generator."