Citing budget cuts, the Iowa Department of Natural Resources has canceled its contract with Webster County Conservation for a shared naturalist position.

Naturalist Erin Ford will now become a full-time naturalist with Webster County, and her new job will include overseeing county conservation’s Camp Wanoki project.

Ford spent half her time working for the county and half her time doing state DNR work, Webster County Conservation Director Matt Cosgrove told the board of supervisors Tuesday.

“Webster County and the DNR have enjoyed this shared position for the past 12 years,” Cosgrove said. “It was one of just about three positions in the state where we had a shared county-state employee. Erin worked for us, she worked at the school systems, she worked at Brushy and Dolliver. It was a great partnership.

“Unfortunately, due to the state’s budget the way it is right now, and the continued cuts to the Department of Natural Resources, the parks bureau has unfortunately requested termination of this contract.”

This was to be the first year of a a three-year contract, Cosgrove said. The contract includes a 30-day termination clause.

Now, the 50 percent of the time Ford would spend at Brushy and Dolliver will be spent as the Camp Wanoki site manager.

“Erin will help us coordinate the activities, events, programs, rentals that sort of thing down there,” Cosgrove said, “along with all the development opportunities that are currently going on.”

This position was a void the department was already trying to fill, he said.

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Amy Porter is resigning after five years as Webster County Human Resources director.

“I was recently recruited for and offered a new opportunity with Elanco here in Fort Dodge, and have decided to take their offer,” Porter told the board. “I cannot thank you enough for the opportunities and experiences you have provided me during my time with the county.”

Porter’s last day full time will be Sept. 8. She will stay on as a temporary HR consultant until a new director is hired and trained.

She was the first HR director ever hired by the county, said Supervisor Merrill Leffler.

“This was a new position when she took over, so there was a lot of getting that office up and running,” Leffler said.

Applications for the position are being accepted until Aug. 23.

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The new emergency preparedness coordinator is on the job.

Tyler Woodard was hired earlier this month to oversee emergency preparedness in a seven-county region called Region 7. He began work this week.

Woodard will help ambulance services throughout the counties coordinate and communicate with county Public Health departments. His salary will be paid through a federal grant sent to the Iowa Department of Public Health and passed on to Webster County, which is the fiscal agent for the region.

Woodard formerly worked in Chardon, Nebraska, coordinating and preparing volunteers for when they were needed in a disaster.