MCI CTLR VOICED CONCERN REGARDING FAC STAFFING POLICY AND COMBINED POSITION OPS; ESPECIALLY DURING MINIMAL WX CONDITIONS.

Narrative

I WAS ASSIGNED TO THE TWR CAB AT MCI ATCT WITH 2 CPC'S AND 1 DEVELOPMENTAL WHO HAD JUST CHKED OUT IN THE TWR. ONLY 3 POS COULD BE OPENED. I HAD TO WORK FLT DATA/CLRNC DELIVERY; CAB COORDINATOR; AND THE TWR SUPVR POS ALL COMBINED. THE WX WAS HARD IFR WITH THE VISIBILITY VARYING FROM ABOUT 1/8 - 1 1/2 MI. WE WERE ADVERTISING ILS APCHS TO THE N PARALLEL RWYS. THE RVR FOR BOTH RWYS WAS DROPPING RAPIDLY. WE WERE TRYING TO GET THE ARPT AUTHS OUT TO THE RWYS TO GET READY FOR CAT III APCHS. ALL AT ONCE; WE LOST THE LOCS FOR BOTH RWYS. I HAD TO CALL THE TRACON SUPVR AND HAVE HIM CALL IN THE RADAR TECHNICIANS. THE WINDS WERE STARTING TO SHIFT AROUND AND COME OUT OF THE S. WE DECIDED TO DO A RWY CHANGE TO DEPART AND ARRIVE TO THE S PARALLELS. HOWEVER; THE RADAR TECHNICIANS TOLD US WE COULD ONLY CHANGE OUR LOC FOR THE W PARALLEL RWY. WE HAD TO THEN START UP THE GENERATOR FOR THAT RWY BECAUSE THAT IS OUR ONLY CAT III RWY AVAILABLE WHEN WE ARE LNDG TO THE S. THE GENERATOR LIGHT WOULD NOT COME ON SO WE COULD NOT VERIFY WHETHER THE GENERATOR WAS ON OR OFF. WHILE ALL THIS IS HAPPENING; I WAS COORDINATING WITH THE CITY; THE RADAR TECHNICIANS; THE SUPVR IN CHARGE OF THE TRACON DOWNSTAIRS; SENDING OUT RAPIDLY CHANGING WX RPTS TO PLTS; GIVING CLRNCS TO ACFT; CALLING TMU FOR RELEASES ON ACFT TO CERTAIN DESTS; TRYING TO MONITOR THE OPS IN THE TWR TO ENSURE THE SAFETY OF AIR TFC; AND FIELDING TELEPHONE CALLS FROM AIRLINE DISPATCHERS WHO WERE WANTING TO KNOW FIELD CONDITION RPTS. WE DID NOT HAVE ENOUGH STAFFING TO HAVE A SUPVR COME UP AND TAKE OVER THE TWR IN CHARGE FUNCTION SO THAT I COULD TAKE CARE OF MY AIR TFC FUNCTIONS. THE DISTR OF AIRLINE DISPATCHERS CALLING THE TWR FOR FIELD CONDITION RPTS IS UNACCEPTABLE; ESPECIALLY WHEN THE WX IS BAD. WE DO NOT HAVE THE TIME OR THE STAFFING TO HANDLE THESE CALLS. MY UNDERSTANDING IS THAT THEY ARE TO CALL THE CITY AVIATION DEPT OR THE CONTRACT WX OBSERVER FOR THESE RPTS WHICH WOULD ALLEVIATE THE DISTRS. THE FACILITY NEEDS TO HAVE A SUPVR IN CHARGE OF THE TWR CAB AT ALL TIMES SO THAT HE CAN FIELD ALL THE CALLS AND COORD WITH THE DIFFERENT ENTITIES. THIS WOULD ALLOW THE CTLRS TO FOCUS ON THEIR PRIMARY FUNCTIONS WHICH IS THE SAFE; ORDERLY; AND EXPEDITIOUS [HANDLING] OF AIR TFC.