Email: jfleming@vanwert.org

The Safety Service Director reports directly to the Mayor and is responsible for the supervision and direction of all service and safety departments, excluding the Income Tax Department, which reports directly to the Mayor. The Safety Service Director is responsible for policies and procedures that govern how the city does business and approves expenditures in conjunction with the Auditor’s Office. The Director administers contracts, and draws up specifications for purchases.

The Safety Service Director collaborates with Department Heads in developing annual departmental budgets and oversees all expenditures to ensure the departments are optimizing available funds. Each fall the Department Head presents their upcoming proposals for budgets to the Safety Service Director. Along with the budget requests, capital improvements, and long- term planning goals the Safety Service Director along with the Council Finance Committee, and City Auditor review the City’s needs and compare the estimated cost to the City’s income to establish budget appropriations for the upcoming year.

The Safety Service Director is responsible for city wide communication that emphases on emergency assessment and action planning. The Director also serves on various boards to make his recommendations.

The Director is also responsible for reporting various needs and conditions to City Council along with providing information so that City Council can make informed decisions.