EMERGENCY MANAGER

Cannon Beach • Oregon

POPULATION: 1,710

CITY BUDGET: $20M

CITY DEPARTMENTS

Executive

Community Development

Police

Public Works

Finance

IT

COMMUNITY PROGRAMS

Haystack Rock Awareness Program

Farmers Market

PLUS

Ecola Creek Forest Reserve

Stunning beaches

Natural splendor

Vibrant arts community

Gourmet food and drink

Community spirit

Civic involvement

Emergency Manager $60,000 to $85,000 plus excellent benefits

The City of Cannon Beach is offering an excellent career opportunity to shape the emergency management capabilities of a unique coastal village on the North Oregon Coast.

Where the mountains meet the sea, Cannon Beach is a charming village nestled next to the awe-inspiring Pacific Ocean and the towering conifers of Ecola State Park on the North Oregon Coast. Located an hour west of the Portland metro area, the village (population 1,710) is one of Oregon’s most popular tourist destinations thanks to its unparalleled beaches, thriving arts community, boutique stores, quality restaurants and brewpubs, and boundless recreation opportunities. The city, home of the iconic Haystack Rock, was deservedly listed by National Geographic as one of the 100 Most Beautiful Places and 21 Best Beaches in the World.

Cannon Beach is a close-knit community whose residents care deeply about their city. Volunteerism and public involvement are hallmarks of the town, with strong support for local non-profits, an ethos of environmental stewardship, and robust participation in public policy development processes. Community spirit runs deep, and residents enjoy their high quality of life and status as one of the safest cities in the state. With its festive atmosphere, Cannon Beach is home to numerous prominent events including the Cannon Beach Sandcastle Contest, Savor Cannon Beach, the Stormy Weather Arts Festival, and Haystack Holidays.

THE ORGANIZATIONThe City of Cannon Beach employs a council-manager form of government. Four Councilors and the Mayor are elected at-large for four-year terms, with a limit of eight years continuous service per member. The City employs 38.65 full-time employees and its 2017-18 budget is approximately $20 million. Departments include Executive, Community Development, Police, Finance, IT, and Public Works, as well as community programs including the Farmers Market and the Haystack Rock Awareness Program. Fire service is provided by the Cannon Beach Rural Fire Protection District.

THE POSITIONWorking directly with the City Manager and Police Chief, the Emergency Manager enhances the capacity of the town to be resilient during and after emergency events. Duties include assessing potential hazards such as wind storms, extended periods without electricity, events of extreme cold, high tide/high wave events, forest fires, tsunamis, and earthquakes; evaluating the need for response to such events; and developing plans to protect both residents and visitors. Plan development entails identifying and prioritizing specific actions necessary to improve the City’s overall response to an event and developing tangible implementation strategies to carry such actions through to completion.

The Emergency Manager must consider strategies to protect the large influx of summer tourists who may be unfamiliar with the City’s plans for disasters such as tsunamis or earthquakes. He/she must also develop pre-positioned contracts for initial clearing of City streets

and damage assessments following emergencies, and recovery plans must be established to manage debris and restore utility operations.

The City has made considerable progress promoting resiliency by developing a Citizen Emergency Management Team (CERT), members of which are given special training to assist their fellow residents after a disaster. Additionally, the Cannon Beach Emergency Medical Team (CBEMT), comprised of local doctors, nurses, a veterinarian, and other medical professionals, are developing plans for emergency medical care of residents.

COMPENSATIONSALARY$60,000 – $85,000; deferred compensation and flexible spending accounts available

RETIREMENTOregon Public Employee Retirement System (PERS)

INSURANCEMedical, dental, vision, life, short and long-term disability

PAID TIME OFFVacation, sick time, personal leave, holidays, bereavement leave.

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• Work with the City Manager, Police Chief, Public Works Director, and Fire Chief to develop plans for emergency preparation, emergency response, and community recovery.

• Coordinate the City’s emergency planning efforts to work with County and State response plans.

• Develop evacuation timing strategies.

• Develop plans for mutual aid for all critical City functions in the event of a natural or man-made disaster.

• Develop and implement contracts for debris management and restoration of utility operations after an emergency event.

• Coordinate emergency management training for City staff, citizens, and local businesses.

• Find and support partners for mass care facilities.

• Maintain all existing CERT, Medical Reserve Corps, and other volunteer programs including training and maintenance of organizational cohesiveness.

• Enhance resiliency of City assets to support Continuity of Government (COG) and Continuity of Operations (COOP).

• Establish viable communication plan/ systems with: County EOC, State EOC, local HAM radio operators, power and gas companies, Oregon Department of Transportation (ODOT), FEMA, and television and radio stations.

• Develop a strategy for communication with residents after an emergency event.

EDUCATION AND EXPERIENCE REQUIREMENTSMinimum of five years of demonstrated, progressively-responsible professional experience in the field of emergency management, including two years in a supervisory or lead capacity, is required. Graduation from an accredited college or university with a bachelor’s degree in emergency management or related field is required; master’s degree preferred. Any satisfactory equivalent combination of education and experience, which ensures the ability to perform the work, may be substituted for the above.

RESPONSIBILITIES

The Emergency Manager must create and sustain a positive and collaborative work environment, effectively modeling the City’s values in working with staff, other departments and community partners. This includes a professional approach that models and supports an emphasis on problem-solving, critical thinking, effective communication, continuous improvement, and effective and efficient service delivery to the public and co-workers.

• An ability to be even-handed and respectful of differing perspectives and interests is critical. The Emergency Manager must be able to make decisions in an objective and competent manner, while maintaining an open mind and active listening practices. Capacity to work effectively with a variety of actors including local, state and federal emergency agencies, the business community, individual homeowners, and other entities is essential. An inclination toward consensus-building, and a willingness to be an impartial player in challenging community conversations is important. Negotiation skills and an ability to be creative and adaptable are essential to success.

• Experience and training developing emergency management policies and plans is critical. The successful candidate must be able to build plans for each phase of multiple emergency scenarios, while ensuring the plans are simple enough to be implemented in stressful environments.

• Demonstrated ability to effectively engage with advisory committees and other policy making bodies is important. The Emergency Manager will interface often with the Emergency Preparation Committee (EPREP), Community Emergency Response Team (CERT), Cannon Beach Emergency Medical Team (CBEMT), City staff, and County and State EOC, and must be able to foster effective working relationships and help ensure these bodies continue to operate in a productive fashion.

• A commitment to building positive, collaborative relationships with City leaders, and engaging in frequent and open communication through email, phone, and in-person meetings is imperative. The Emergency Manager must work closely with the City Manager, Police Chief, and Public Works Director and provide accurate and complete analysis to inform policy decisions.

• An ability to foster meaningful citizen engagement in policy development processes and a commitment to the principles of transparency, inclusion, and public participation is necessary. Cannon Beach citizens are passionate about their community and are active in civic decision–making.

• A genuine appreciation for the unique qualities that make Cannon Beach a charming seaside village, including the breathtaking natural surroundings, ethos of environmental stewardship, vibrant arts community, numerous shops and restaurants, and thriving community atmosphere, will be central to success.

THE IDEAL CANDIDATE

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RECRUITMENT PROCESSFirst Review

of Applications Sept 14, 2018

Preliminary Phone Interviews

Week of Sept 24, 2018

Finalist Interviews and Selection

After Sept 31, 2018

The City of Cannon Beach is an Equal Opportunity

Employer.

Photos courtesy of Councilor George Vetter