Council interviews EMA candidates while debating whether the post should have been advertised

Sunbury City councilmembers held interviews for an Emergency Management Agency (EMA) role during a work session that included a debate over whether the appointment should have been advertised to the public.

The discussion opened with a legal and procedural question about transparency: some members said the city had announced the vacancy at prior meetings but had not placed a public advertisement in the paper, and the city solicitor recommended advertising for fairness. "For transparency sake and for fairness sake, it should have been put in the paper," one member said, citing the solicitor’s advice. Other members noted that previous appointments were made without a formal advertisement and argued the law does not require advertising.

Why it matters: appointments to EMA positions involve coordination with county emergency management, schools and other partners and can affect the city’s readiness in major incidents. The council agreed that advertising would be beneficial for transparency even if not legally mandated; several members suggested tabling a final appointment until a proper advertisement period has occurred.

During candidate questioning, Derek Ferrari described his emergency-response experience, incident-command training and certifications. Ferrari said he had deployed to support FEMA operations: "I was in Mayfield, Kentucky when FEMA met their center set up," and he cited NIMS and hazardous-materials training and experience planning evacuations and coordinating resources with county partners. Supporters on the council said Ferrari’s operational experience made him well-suited for a deputy role; others emphasized the need for clear job definitions and public notice before making a final appointment.

Next steps: councilmembers discussed continuing interviews at the work session and then either moving to make a motion at the regular meeting or tabling the appointment to allow for public advertising. No appointment vote occurred during the work session.