Johnson County hires new communications center director

The Johnson County joint emergency communications center has a new, but familiar, executive director.

The board that oversees the center voted Friday to hire Tom Jones for the position. Jones has been the interim executive director since March, and he had also filled in on a temporary basis once before.

“He's proven more than once that's he's an excellent executive director,” said John Lundell, chairman of the center's seven-member policy board.

The center is home to dispatchers and operates the radio system used by public safety and emergency medical personnel in the county. Its board has representatives from Johnson County, Iowa City, Coralville and North Liberty and the Johnson County Emergency Management Agency.

In keeping with the at times troublesome history of the center – which is now on its third executive director in two years and whose budget has been frequently criticized by the county's Board of Supervisors – the 6-1 vote to hire Jones was not unanimous.

Janelle Rettig, who is a county supervisor, cast the dissenting vote. She said she thought Jones would do a good job, but she objected to a provision in the employment agreement for college tuition reimbursement.

“I think it's an extremely generous benefit package for a very well-paid job,” she said. “I have confidence in Tom Jones doing this job, but I'm not clear why the taxpayers need to pay for his education.”

Jones will be paid $83,500 annually, said Lundell, who also is a Coralville City Council member. Gary Albrecht, who resigned as executive director in March for unspecified reasons, was being paid $79,825.

Lundell said the tuition reimbursement could be as much as $7,000 a year, but those details are to be worked out at a future meeting.

Jones had been the center's associate director and IT manager before being named interim executive director. He also served in the interim role for several months before Albrecht was hired.

Jones did not immediately return a message seeking comment Friday.

There also was disagreement Friday over whether to hire a part-time clerk to assist Jones. That vote was 5-2 in favor, with Rettig and Dave Wilson, the county's emergency management coordinator, voting against, Lundell said.

Jones proposed the hiring because the center currently has no support staff, leaving him or others to get the mail, take minutes at meetings, file paperwork and other clerical duties, Lundell said. The person will be paid $10-13 per hour and work up to 20 hours a week, he said.

Rettig said she was “appalled” by the hiring of a position not budgeted for. Lundell said Jones' IT position would not be filled, leaving a full-time position open.