In the wake of one of the worst natural disasters suffered in Madison County, Board Chairman Kurt Prenzler plans to replace the county's Emergency Management Agency director on Wednesday.
Prenzler said the decision to replace EMA director Tony Falconio with retired Air Force colonel Rick Keasey has been under consideration "for months," but Prenzler didn't comment specifically on the timing of the leadership change.
"It’s time to go in a new direction," Prenzler said.
"Rick Keasey...has the organizational and leadership skills needed."
According to his resume, Keasey graduated from the War College in 2006, and in 2011 completed formal training in aircraft accident investigation.
Falconio, who was appointed EMA director by Prenzler in February 2020 after having served in the role for months as interim director, declined comment.
He also declined to comment on the status of recovery efforts at the tornado-ravaged Amazon warehouse, saying the city of Edwardsville is the lead responder to the crisis in which six people were killed.
The county board meeting is scheduled at 5 p.m. on Wednesday.
County board member Eric Foster, Republican from Granite City, heaped praise on Falconio and said he was confident the board will reject Prenzler's move.
"I'm not saying Keasey is not qualified," Foster said. "It's not a time to switch to an unknown."
Foster said Falconio does an "excellent" job, and that he hears "nothing but accolades" from fire and police departments and from the EMA community.
"A lot of our EMA department is volunteer," Foster said. "Those are relationships built over time. You don't just pick up a phone and they volunteer. They do it because Tony Falconio asks."