Opinion: Journal publisher asks better cooperation from county

The Linn County Journal sent out this tornado watch notice on its mass email network on April 13 before the storm began rotating over Blue Mound. As soon as the National Weather Service noted rotation and issued a tornado warning, the Journal issued an email warning.

The following is the transcript of testimony by Linn County Journal publisher Roger Sims at the May 4 Linn County Commission meeting:

"During (the April 27) commission meeting, there was considerable discussion about how to notify Linn County residents about dangerous weather situations.

"Most of the discussion revolved around using the county’s Everbridge system that alerts users about severe thunderstorms and tornado watches and then tornado warnings.

"One official suggested that, in the absence of a television station that could give more Linn County-centered weather information, that social media was the best means of pushing weather warnings out to residents.

"There is an inherent problem in relying mainly on using Facebook or other social media in getting the information out.

"Facebook uses algorithms to determine what its users see. We follow the four main Facebook  pages that are maintained by Linn County, Kansas.

"Those are Linn County Kansas, Linn County Sheriff’s Office, Linn County Emergency Management Department and Linn County Fire Department. Each of those Facebook pages show up as following or a favorite on our feed.

"However, because we don’t constantly look at those sites when there is not an emergency, we receive no notification when it is necessary to get the word out. Even when we actively search for those pages, usually the people in charge of them don’t have time to post.

"Linn County residents cannot count on Kansas City television stations to give them the priority we think we deserve, particularly when there were multiple tornado warnings closer to the metro area.

"While Linn County doesn’t have a television or radio station, we do have at least one other resource for notifying the public of severe weather in a timely manner. That would be the Linn County Journal.

"When we began the Linn County Journal five years ago our goal was to offer a weekly alternative news source for county residents.

"However, a couple of years ago we began positioning the Journal as a source for local and state news that is constantly being updated.

"On the evening of April 13, we began sending out a mass emailing to several hundred email subscribers, informing them that the area was under a tornado watch. When the lid came off over Blue Mound and the rotation began, we were scanning both area television stations and the National Weather Service website.

"Within a minute of the NWS declaring that the area was under a tornado warning, we were able to send out a mass email, followed by a Facebook post, giving the location and the direction of the storm.

"Since we receive messages from county dispatch via email, we already knew that dispatch had been notified by Allen County authorities of possible rotation in a storm headed into southern Linn County.

"Once the tornado had bounced into Missouri, we were able to contact Sheriff Akes for a report, and by 11 p.m. that evening we published our first story on the storm.

"This is not the first time we have used our mass email to warn of tornadoes in the vicinity. Following the April tornado and other warnings in previous years, we have received thanks from people who were in the storm’s path but had received no other warning except ours.

"What we are asking for today is better cooperation from the rural fire department and emergency management office in notifying us of severe storms and other notices that affect the public like burn bans.

"We have been told that, on the orders of one or more commissioners, department heads are not to share information with the Journal. While we certainly hope that is not the case, our experience has tended to confirm those rumors.

"The commission a couple of years ago decided to stop advertising with the Journal.**

"However, to withhold information, particularly on public safety issues, would run counter to the duty of elected officials and their staff to work to ensure public safety.

"It also speaks to the lack of transparency by county officials.

"Our job is similar to emergency management, fire department and the sheriff’s office. We are here to inform the public. Our services are free and easy to access.

"We’re asking that you let us help you in keeping your constituents informed.

**The county does continue to run a small ad for its transportation service in the Journal.