Oxford News

HAMILTON — Butler County commissioners are urging emergency management officials to show restraint when catering training sessions after spending more than $1,000 on food for a two-day event.

This comes on the heels of commissioner criticism of the Emergency Management Agency's response to the Sept. 14 windstorm, when the emergency operations center was found inoperable.

"Based on the last performance that I saw, maybe we ought to do a little less eating and a little more training," said Commissioner Donald Dixon.

On Thursday, Oct. 9, commissioners approved three reimbursements for lunches during training events. One was $900 for a prepractice drill meeting at Montgomery Inn at the Boathouse in August and $119.25 at Washington Platform Saloon and Restaurant the next day. Another meal also at Washington Platform for $225.

On Sept. 19, commissioners reimbursed EMA $2,175.

"It seems like they say let's go to lunch and while we're at it, let's have a meeting," said Commissioner Gregory Jolivette.

The money comes from federal homeland security grants, said EMA Director William Turner, and the grant includes money and guidelines for a working lunch. "They (training sessions) go four, five hours, so we usually have a working meal in the midst of them so we can keep working and get people out," Turner said.

The training, and meals are paid for by the county from the federal grant, Turner said. Butler County received a grant in August for an exercise in Cincinnati that Turner oversaw when he paid for the Boathouse lunch, he said.

The Boathouse lunch had less than 20 people, Turner said — at 20 people, that would be $45 a meal.

"We watch them, we make a point not to go overboard," he said. "We shop around."

Contact this reporter at (513) 820-2175 or jsweigart@coxohio.com.