Members of the community bid farewell to outgoing Sedalia-Pettis County Emergency Management Agency Director Dave Clippert during a retirement reception Wednesday morning.
The Pettis County Commission chambers at the Pettis County Courthouse was full for the reception, a visual representation of the impact Clippert has had on the community.
“I really came to love Sedalia,” Clippert told those gathered. “… I’m really glad I got to work with the first responders and get to know what fire departments do and what law enforcement does and what EMS does. It’s been a great honor to work with you and serve with you in any way I can. I pray for your guys’ safety every day. To our volunteers, thank you for all you do to spot for storms and keep us informed of what is going on.”
“He’s one of the nicest, down-to-earth people you’ll ever meet,” Sedalia Mayor Stephen Galliher said before he and Pettis County Presiding Commissioner David Dick presented Clippert with a plaque. “It’s been a pleasure knowing you Dave, you are a very good person inside and out. … You set the bar high and the community’s going to have one heck of a time replacing you.”
Clippert submitted his resignation a month ago after being the SPCEMA director for more than nine years.
He served in the Air Force for 20 years, including at Whiteman Air Force Base, which is what brought Clippert to the Sedalia area in 1993. He also worked for the Pettis County Health Center and worked in emergency management at WAFB before being hired at SPCEMA.
Clippert was also involved with First United Methodist Church, Sedalia Lions Club, Child Safe of Central Missouri Inc., Sedalia Girls Softball and Sedalia-Pettis County United Way.
Clippert served on the Pettis County Ambulance District Board of Directors, a position he had since the district was formed. He was elected to a second term during last year’s municipal election. He stepped down effective April 27 and the board has started the search for a new District 1 director.
“Dave has always been very involved, he was always by the station to check on the guys, a positive role model for the distirct and the board of directors and we are certainly going to miss having him around, as a resource and as a friend,” PCAD Interim Administrator Eric Dirck told the Democrat. “He came by all the time just to shake hands, and that means a lot to those guys.”
Clippert said being able to help people and work with many organizations has been a “wonderful experience.”
“Probably the biggest one weather-related was the tornado of 2011 and people were really prepared,” he said of his proudest accomplishments. “We had a lot of damage, which of course was a disaster for those who lost their homes, but we were able to get through that without any life-threatening injuries or anybody dying. The community really came together to help those who had lost everything. … That was one that really showed what the City of Sedalia was all about.
“The other was getting the Pettis County Ambulance District up, that has really been the feather in my cap because I think it was one of the most important things we could’ve done,” he continued. “We now have an ambulance service that goes for many, many years now.”
Clippert and his daughter, McKenna, were making the trip to Des Moines, Iowa, Wednesday afternoon to join Clippert’s wife, Renee, in their new home. He said he is retiring for the summer, but has a few job interviews lined up.
The public mostly knows Clippert for his severe weather alerts, but he did much more behind the scenes, such as being the liaison between local, state and federal agencies for emergency management matters, maintaining local public warning systems and planning for many types of disaster, whether an earthquake or hazardous material spill.
“He was good to work with, he never left a question unanswered and was always very forthcoming about stuff he thought we should know,” Dick told the Democrat. “That position is not only the weather, which is everyone’s primary concern, they’re planning. He’s all the time planning for those things you don’t want to have happen but when they do you better have a plan.”
Dick noted that Clippert has evolved the EMA director position since he started by becoming more involved with the community, prompting Galliher and Dick to update the job description for their candidate search.
The City of Sedalia and Pettis County are working together to find a replacement for Clippert. Dick said they’ve received about 30 applications from across the country so far and applications will be accepted until June 1. Deputy EMA Director Mark Jackson will serve as interim director until a replacement is found.
