Eight counties | 36 cities | one region

a voluntary council of local governments
serving the missouri meramec area.

Region I Homeland Security Oversight Committee reorganizes board

For immediate release

For more information, contact

Tammy Snodgrass at (573) 265-2993

Tabitha Stanfast of Salem continues to serve as Chair

ST. JAMES – The Region I Homeland Security Oversight Committee (HSOC) reorganized its board at its October meeting at the Meramec Regional Planning Commission (MRPC).

Tabitha Stanfast, of Salem Memorial District Hospital, continued in the role of HSOC chair for 2016-17, as chairs serve two-year terms. Ron Smith, Chief of Rolla Fire and Rescue, continues as vice chair.

Representatives on the HSOC serve alternating two-year terms. The following changes occurred on the HSOC committee:

  • Randy Rowe, Laclede County, will serve as primary representative for emergency management directors, replacing Scott Cason of Crawford County;
  • Chris Twitchel, police chief of Crocker, will serve as primary representative for police chiefs, replacing Keith Steelman, police chief of Salem. Dan Cordova, Police Chief of Waynesville will become the alternate;
  • Ron Smith, Chief of Rolla Fire and Rescue, will serve as primary representative for homeland security response teams, replacing Adam Birdsong, also of Rolla Fire and Rescue;
  • James Morgan, mayor of Crocker, rotated off as primary representative for mayors and city administrators and agreed to continue as the alternate representative. The primary position for this discipline is currently vacant;
  • Darrell Skiles, presiding commissioner of Dent County, will serve as primary representative for county commissioners, replacing Gary Larson, associate commissioner of Dent County;
  • Joe Price, Laclede County, will serve as primary representative for volunteer organizations, replacing David Sewell, of Laclede County;
  • Brad Armstrong, assistant superintendent of  Lebanon R-III School District, will serve as primary representative for schools, rotating into a position that had been vacant; and
  • Deb Halinar, of Phelps County Regional Medical Center (PCRMC), will serve as primary representative for hospitals, replacing Wendy Squires, also of PCRMC.

The HSOC is currently seeking to fill vacancies in the following disciplines:  alternate for sheriff; alternate for public works; primary for mayor/city administrator; primary for private industry/public utility; and alternate for schools.

Region I HSOC, established along the boundaries of the State Highway Patrol Troop I, includes the counties of Crawford, Dent, Maries, Phelps, Pulaski and Laclede.

Three counties in the Meramec Region – Gasconade, Osage and Washington – are served through other regions. Gasconade and Osage counties are part of Troop F, which is being coordinated by the Mid-Missouri Regional Planning Commission at Ashland while Washington County is part of Troop C, which is coordinated by the Southeast Missouri Regional Planning Commission at Perryville.

The next Region I HSOC meeting is scheduled for 1 p.m. Jan. 28 at MRPC. For more information on the Region I HSOC, please contact Tammy Snodgrass at (573) 265-2993, ext. 104 or via email at tsnodgrass@meramecregion.org.