County To Seek New Emergency Coordinator
Della-Moretta Resigns
By Karen Gould

Miki Della-Moretta's last day as Mackinac County Emergency Services coordinator will be November 16. She has been in charge of planning and training for potential county disasters and emergencies since July 2005. She met with county commissioners at a Committee of the Whole meeting Wednesday, November 8, and told them she was moving to Lansing.

The following day, at a regular commission meeting, commissioners decided to advertise the nonunion position. Commissioners set November 28, at noon, as the deadline for applications, which they expect to review that day during a Committee of the Whole meeting scheduled for 2 p.m. They did not discuss wages or hours during the meeting.

Mrs. Della-Moretta was hired at $11 an hour to work 30 hours a week, although during Wednesday's meeting she told commissioners the job often required more time, and she recommended they consider setting it for 40 hours a week.

Commission Chair Dawn Nelson asked Bryce Tracy, the county's 9-1-1 coordinator, at Thursday's meeting if the 9-1-1 position could be combined with the Emergency Services job. Mr. Tracy explained that both positions were time-intensive and that while both jobs can require attendance at the same training sessions, they also have separate emergency requirements that could conflict and require him to be at two places at once.

Mr. Tracy said he would "take care of priority actions" of the emergency services job until commissioners fill the position. Mr. Tracy also is captain of the St. Ignace Fire Department.

Mrs. Della-Moretta said she is willing to help with any questions after she leaves.

"Miki has helped improve the proactive direction of keeping Mackinac County Emergency Service agencies capable during emergency situations," Mr. Tracy said.

During Wednesday's meeting, Mrs. Della-Moretta told commissioners that the job's primary focus was completing paperwork, keeping records, and writing grants for emergency equipment.

"I'm always looking for new funding sources," she said.

Getting funding has become a challenge, she said. Homeland security grants now are divided by regions and Mackinac County now competes for regional funding with the entire Upper Peninsula, she explained.

"I really enjoyed the position and the work," Mrs. Della-Moretta later told The St. Ignace News.

Operating under the Michigan Emergency Management Act, the county Emergency Services department helps train and coordinates emergency responses by Mackinac Straits Hospital, law enforcement, fire departments, ambulance crews, the Coast Guard, Mackinac Bridge Authority, utility companies, and schools.