York County Commissioners extend agreement with Fillmore County to keep Engle as emergency manager

​YORK – When longtime York/Seward County Emergency Manager Gary Peterson retired, the York County Commissioners signed a temporary agreement with Fillmore County in which both counties would be utilizing the services of Fillmore County Emergency Manager Jean Engle.

​The intent was to utilize her expertise until a full-time emergency manager was hired for York County.
A number of people were interviewed for the position and this week, York County Commissioner Chairman Daniel Grotz and vice-chairman Randy Obermier recommended extending the agreement with Fillmore County in order to continue working with Engle.
“As we went through the candidates, trying find what is best for York County, we had interviews with many – good interviews with good candidates – but the more we looked at the future with budgets and emergency management, we felt we needed to explore all options,” Grotz said. “Randy (Obermier) and I talked with two county board members from Fillmore County, we discussed making this agreement more long-term. They felt it would be a good partnership. Their board is on board. We are recommending we partner with them full-time.
“Jean (Engle) is very knowledgeable, good in her field, and the more we looked at the position we felt there would be a struggle to keep a full-time emergency manager busy, full-time,” Grotz continued. “I think by York County and Fillmore County sharing this position, with Jean being the emergency manager, I think this partnership will be very good.
“So before us is an addendum to extend our agreement with Fillmore County,” Grotz said, “through this budget year. That then gives us time to work with Fillmore County, to put together a plan for the next fiscal year.”
Commissioner Andy Bowman said he had a conversation with one of the fire chiefs in York County who said they (and others) had been very pleased with Engle’s work, expertise and work ethic.
“As Daniel (Grotz) said, we started to wonder if it is truly a full-time position,” Obermier told the county board members. “And we have watched her in action and the expertise she brings to the table made us feel this should be the direction we go. We will need some support staff here in York County, which we hope to find within the York County family. This arrangement has been very positive and she (Engle) knows the first year will be very busy. She is meeting and will be meeting with companies here, she has a lot of energy and we feel this will be a good fit long-term.
Engle has been working in emergency management for some time and in 2024 was given the Nebraska Association of Emergency Management President’s Award for outstanding work in the field.
The commissioners voted unanimously to extend the agreement with Fillmore County through the current fiscal year (which ends at the end of June) and then creating a new long-term agreement in the new fiscal year.