County Adds New Personnel: Emergency Management Director, Parks & Rec Program Admin, & Judge Exec's Office

Emergency Management Director Pat Prunty Steps Down After 13 Years

Rob McGuffey speaks at today's fiscal court. He was appointed the new Emergency Management Director by the fiscal court.

Darren Doyle, story and photos:
Edmonson County has a new Emergency Management Director after the resignation of Pat Prunty, who led the position for the past 13 years. Rob McGuffey was voted to take the position at today's fiscal court meeting.

McGuffey, an Allen County native, has been an Edmonson County resident for 20 years. He spent 27 years with the Kentucky Department of Environmental Protection; serving 22 of those as an Environmental Response Team member, which deals specifically with gas and pipeline troubles, hazardous materials, even barge sinkings.

McGuffey said that Prunty had done an excellent job as the Edmonson Director and McGuffey simply wanted to continue the good work being done in the county. 

"I've known Pat for a long time," McGuffey said. "We worked well together during the 2009 ice storm and I know that Pat knows his stuff. If anyone deserves recognition or an award, it's this guy."

Prunty, who currently serves as Edmonson County's 911 Coordinator, said being both head over the 911 system and EM Director was simply too much for one person to handle and that he felt like he could no longer devote the proper amount of time to both.

"Over the past 13 years, we've expanded the program a lot," said Prunty. "It was getting to the point that I was laying in bed trying to figure out how I was going to get all these things done the next day."

Prunty was key in the county's upgraded radio systems for emergency personnel, he helped the county receive hundreds of thousands of dollars in grant money for emergency services, and helped improve the local 911 system, a position of which he will remain in charge.

McGuffey, who lives in Bee Spring with his wife Kim, said he's looking forward to his new role in the county.

Mrs. Tammi Wilhite was introduced as a new member of Judge Cannon's office.

Judge Executive Wil Cannon also introduced another new member to the county's staff; Tammi Wilhite, who was hired as the new office manager/finance officer. Mrs. Wilhite was hired a couple weeks ago by Judge Cannon.

The court also voted to hire local resident John Kiernan as the new Parks and Rec Program Administrator. He will step in after former administrator Greg Hudson resigned several weeks ago after he accepted a similar role with the city of Leitchfield. Kiernan was the only applicant for the job, according to Cannon; however, he and Magistrate Joe Durbin both spoke in favor of Mr. Kiernan. Both agreed he was very qualified for the part-time position.