Brown County has a new emergency management coordinator that was appointed to the job but without the blessing of any of the county commissioners.
Mechail Cox of Early, who most recently worked in the district attorney’s office, was appointed by County Judge Ray West to the position and has been serving since late last week awaiting approval from the court. Brent Bush was the previous Brown County Emergency Management Coordinator who recently left the position.
According to West, Cox needed several National Incident Management System (NIMS) classes in order to hold the position, of which she has taken and passed 5 of them via internet courses. The final two classes (8 hours) are scheduled for her to attend in the near future according to West.
Commissioner Wayne Shaw of Precinct 3 stated that he felt that the position was not open long enough and that more qualified applicants has possibly been overlooked.
West stated that the open position was publicized and that he had quickly received 4 or 5 applications. He then explained Cox’s appointment and her qualifications.
“She has worked here before. She is a local person, she graduated from Brownwood High School, she has a degree from Angelo State University. What was the most appealing to me is her experience with the grant process,” West said. “I want to tell you that this position does not require any physical ability other than to hook up a gooseneck trailer and drag it with a dually.” He stated that she can do this and was raised on a ranch and knows how to do this.
West stated that there really wasn’t any job description for the position while Bush held it and that the position was strictly administrative.
West further stated, “She is an administrator, I know that it may seem unusual to have a female as our administrator, but that is exactly what the position is and in going over what the administrator’s job is, she is the best of the applicants that I received. The way that this was advertised was the publication in the media of Brent’s resignation. I got three applications the week of his resignation and two later that just would not work out.”
Shaw continued airing his concern asking why a NIMS certified applicant wasn’t brought before the court, referring to other applicants who already have experience in emergency response and management.
“Personally, I feel like the job needed to be advertised a little longer, and that it didn’t get out to the public like I thought it should have as far as I am concerned. I just have concerns about that and my constituents were concerned about that,” Shaw said.
West answered, “Anytime you are hiring someone for a position, I’m not sure this county has ever advertised for a position, the word gets out, the word was out and as I said, I got three applications immediately and a couple more that sort of just came in. It’s not a matter of arguing, it’s just that when Brent presented his resignation, it was published – radio, newspaper, and I do understand that. It’s my appointment, that’s who I am going to recommend and I think she will do an excellent job at what we need her to do.”
When the appointment came up for a vote, commissioners sat silent. A shocked West stated to the commissioners, “Gentlemen, you don’t appoint this person. While I understand some of you have reservations, I want to hear them, let’s hear them. Why wouldn’t you appoint her?”
Several commissioners expressed their concerns.
“I think there were other applicants who had better qualifications, had all their NIMS qualifications and things like that and I don’t think they got through the process,” stated Shaw.
West stated that he had one applicant that had NIMS certification; however, the applicant applied a week after he had already made this decision.
“Why wasn’t this decision brought before us or before the court? This is a countywide job,” asked Shaw.
West stated, “It is an appointment that the court makes, not something that the commissioners court makes an appointment, the court makes an appointment. If there is any problem with this person, any reason not to appoint the person, I want to know what it is.”
“I don’t have a problem with the person, I just don’t know if we have the best qualified person, I feel like we needed to be given a little more input, a little more involvement in the issue,” said Shaw.
Commissioner Larry Traweek also voiced his concern, “I felt there were other people more qualified.”
Judge West stated, “Those people just didn’t show up. You should have sent them to me when it was open.”
The audience was asked if the public had any comment.
Major Robert Spratt of Cross Cut (pictured left), a member of the Texas State Guard, stood up and stated that he was one of the applicants that were not given consideration for the position. Spratt stated that he had heard of the job only through word of mouth.
“I didn’t hear about the job being available, only through word of mouth. I personally brought a packet into your office 13 days ago for your consideration for that position,” Spratt said to West. “That the position is more important than hooking up a trailer and driving a truck.”
West agreed that the job was more than hooking up the trailer and driving a truck and stated, “It is more important and the qualifications of this person meet those important functions, they don’t go out and fight fires, they don’t go out and roll their sleeves up, this is an administrative position. It is not a position that involves physical labor. It is not a position that involves someone who is capable of fighting a fire or dealing with an emergency, it is a person who administers the job.”
Spratt answered with his qualifications as an administrator.
“Yes sir, I have 31 years with U.S. Capital Police and I am an administrator. I am also a Master Emergency Management Specialist and I have taken at least 50 of those FEMA courses that she has to yet take. So if you would just reconsider me,” Spratt said.
West answered that he didn’t know if or when he received Spratt’s application, but the decision was made two weeks after Bush made his decision to retire. He stated the application must have come in after the decision was made. West stated that he interviewed everyone that had submitted an application.
Spratt informed the audience that the job was never posted on the Brown County website.
A frustrated West stated, “If this is going to fail for lack of a motion, I will take this up at a later time and I may not even need the court’s approval because I am the Emergency Management Administrator and I may well have her appointed as my assistant, end of story. Ok, that matter is closed.”
Bangs Volunteer Fire Department Chief Dennis Lilley also said that he applied for the job but was not considered.
Cox, who wasn’t present during the failed vote, later said that Judge West told her that she had been appointed on his authority and she will continue in the position.
Spratt in an interview after the meeting stated that he had hand delivered his application to Judge West’s office on August 28th and never heard anything further from anyone. Prior to that he had also looked at the website and the job had never been posted, as he stated he checks this website weekly for such public notices and job postings.
62-year-old Spratt’s qualifications include 31 years of military police experience including working as a member of the US Capital Police in Washington, D.C., serving in an actual terrorist attack; 5 years with the Texas State Guard, working at the office of the Chief of Staff at Camp Mabry in Austin; and developing and implementation of emergency management training in Brown County and serving as military ready forces to assist in state and local Homeland Security issues.
Pictured above is Mechail Cox, Brown County’s new Emergency Management Coordinator.
Editor’s note: The dates of the “open application period” remain unconfirmed by West or any official. Cox was appointed by West shortly after her interview on August 29th and given the position of EMC. She was then shown her new office at the Brown County Law Enforcement Center that same day.
