MOUNT VERNON — The Knox County Commissioners last week honored two employees who between them have given 21 years of service to Knox County citizens.
Teresa Sewall retired Jan. 27 after 21 years of service with the Knox County Board of Elections. She started with the BOE in February 2008 and has performed various roles within the department through the years.
Sewall was also recognized by the Secretary of State’s Office for her dedication and commitment.
John Pyle retired as the county’s public defender. He began his career in January 2017; his retirement was also effective Jan. 27.
John Dankovich was sworn in on Friday as Pyle’s successor.
Also last week, Sheriff David Shaffer and Emergency Management Agency’s J.T. DeChant updated the commissioners on activities in their respective departments.
KCSO
Shaffer said the Knox County Sheriff’s Office patrol and jail staff will undergo video-based training offered free through CORSA (County Risk Sharing Association). The training includes use of force, firearms, and taser instruction.
Shaffer has met with the Ohio Bureau of Adult Detention about proposed remodeling at the jail to accommodate more female prisoners. He said the big hurdle is the distance to an exit. He is hopeful things will move forward after an appeals meeting in February.
Regarding staffing, the KCSO had two personnel start in January but is still down three positions.
EMA
Training and continuing education has been a focus of the Knox County Emergency Management Agency.
Director DeChant said EMA conducted a workshop for large-scale incidents such as the one that occurred on Upper Gilchrist Road in August 2022. He said that in review, some things were lacking in incident command. He noted that unlike police and fire, EMA typically does not have much training on incident command.
Other activities include a school evacuation exercise at St. Vincent de Paul School, a communication drill, an active threat seminar through the Ohio School Safety Council, and training in pediatric medical emergencies, rescue task force, and mass attacks in public places.
“As we have hardened our targets — schools and churches — they [perpetrators] are turning to other soft targets such as parades,” DeChant said.
EMA is also working the the state dam safety team and Morrow County EMA on dam issues at the Damascus Youth Summer Camp on Ramey Road/Simmons Church Road.
The spillway tube on the 20-acre lake is compromised; an engineering firm will come in this week and siphon off water to reduce the load against the dam.
DeChant said there is no major safety concern and there is no immediate danger of loss of life if the dam lets go. However, flooding might reach to the Mount Liberty area. The lake holds 250-plus cubic acres of water.
The damage is not from deterioration but rather an improper installation of the spillway.
