MIDDLEBURG -- Snyder County officials are close to picking the county's new Emergency Management Agency director.

The six-person board charged with naming the next EMA coordinator will meet tonight in the county courthouse to whittle the applicant pool down from 15 to four or five.

"There are at least six very qualified candidates in the pool," Commissioner Malcolm Derk said Tuesday.

Derk expects the new director to be in office by the end of August.

The commissioners fired former EMA Director Dave Nichols in February, citing administrative style differences. Nichols was at the time under investigation for improper spending and disposal of county property.

The review committee members are county Sheriff Joseph Reigle Jr.; Tom Rambo, associate dean and director of public safety at Susquehanna University; Jack Grove, of the Hummels Wharf Fire Company; Beavertown Fire Company President Paul Saylor; Snyder County Fire Chiefs Association President Tom Wallish; and association Vice President Wayne "Butch" Hackenburg, who also is Middleburg's fire chief.

They will be charged with interviewing the narrowed applicant pool after today's session and selecting a director.

The EMA director oversees both emergency management services and the 911 center in the county.

County 911 Coordinator Chad Aucker is serving as acting EMA director.

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