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HomeMy WebLinkAboutEmergency Management & Communications 08-12-08 NOTICE OF MEETING AND AGENDA ST. CROIX COUNTY EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT AND COMMUNICATIONS August 12, 2008 —9:00 a.m. NOTE: Committee will meet at the Government Center, Cotnnmunity Room Hudson, WI 54016 CALL TO ORDER ROLL CALL APPROVAL OF MINUTES OF PREVIOUS MEETINGS DATE OF NEXT MEETING OLD AND NEW BUSINESS 1. Emergency Service Agency Representative's Concerns and Issues A. Sheriffs Dept. B. Municipal Law Enforcement C. Fire Services D. EMS Services E. Public Health 2. River Falls Dispatching Proposal 3. Designation of County PIOs 4. Review Emergency Management's 2009 Budget Proposals A. Emergency Management Director's Contract for 2009 5. Review Emergency Communication's 2009 Budget Proposals 6. Director's Report — Emergency Management A. MOUs With Pierce, Dunn, and Barron Counties B. Hosting WMD Training Class C. Interoperability Communications Equipment Grant D. Mapping Questions 7. Director's Report — Emergency Communications 8. Short and Long Term Goals /2009 Budget Planning 9. Committee Chairman's Comments ADJOURN (Items may be taken in different order) ** Additions /Changes /Corrections Items for County Board approval must be submitted to the County Clerk's office by Wednesday morning preceding a County Board meeting. 8/4/2008 11:24 AM MINUTES — OFFICIAL _ Emergency Management and Communications Committee AUGUST 12, 2008 PRESENT: John Borup, Julie Speer, Roger Rebholz, Dave Ostness, John Mortensen - County Board; Casey Swetlik, Terry Anderson - Emergency Communications; Jack Colvard — Emergency Management; John Shilts, Jeff Klatt, Kristen Anderson — SCC Sheriff's Dept.; Chuck Whiting — Administrative Coordinator; Carlene Jensen — Salvation Army; Craig Nelson — EMS Rep.; Jeff Vogt — Roberts /Warren Fire Dept.; Larry Peterson — Red Cross; Charlotte Sortedahl — St. Croix County Public Health; Chuck Mehls — New Richmond Emergency Mgmt.; Jim VanderWyst — New Richmond Fire Dept.; Doug Briggs — Somerset PD; Paul Larson — Hudson PD; Jim Frye — Hudson Fire/Public Works; Ray Hornung — County Resident. Chair Borup called the meeting to order at 9:00 a.m. The 7/7/2008 Minutes were approved on a Mortensen/Speer MOTION. Next Month's Bills will be reviewed by Borup /Speer. DATE OF NEXT MEETING: SEPTEMBER 8, 2008 @9:00 a.m. ST. CROIX COUNTY GOVERNMENT CENTER, Community Room EMERGENCY SERVICE AGENCY REPRESENTATIVE'S CONCERNS AND ISSUES A. Sheriff's Dept. — Shilts reported that the Anderson Scout Camp has a Weather Radio and are prepared for severe weather. B. Municipal Law Enforcement — Nothing C. Fire Services — VanderWyst reported that the fees for HazMat incidents stay the same. Colvard will forward to the State. D. EMS Services — Nelson reported that an ICS Model City Training Class will be held August 21 and August 22, 2008. E. Public Health — Sortedahl reported that the City Readiness Grant will start again August 31, 2008. Colvard reported that on October 14 -16, 2008, an Operations and Planning for WMD Incidents training class will be held at the Government Center. The class is through Texas A & M University, Texas Engineering Division, which is a free three -day course for all emergency responders, EMS, Public Health, Emergency Management, and Hospitals. RIVER FALLS DISPATCHING PROPOSAL Swetlik reported that Pierce County and the RF Police Dept. are discussing dispatching issues; this dispatching matter for St. Croix County is on hold until further notice from River Falls. DESIGNATION OF COUNTY PIOs Colvard and Whiting discussed who should be the County Public Information Officer (PIO), and the Sheriff and Whiting have been submitted to the State as PIOs. Colvard explained that Klatt has applied to attend this training class on behalf of the Sheriff, and his acceptance into the class is pending. Colvard would like this Committee to formalize who will act on behalf of the County as a PIO or if it should stay as is. There should be at least 3 individuals identified in this position. EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT 2009 BUDGET PROPOSALS Colvard explained his budget proposals. Discussion was held. A Rebholz/Mortensen MOTION was made to present all three budgets to the Finance Committee with emphasis on the one budget necessary for EM. Chairman Borup explained that the EM Director's contract will need to be addressed at a later time in the year as it expires 12/31/08. Speer brought up an e -mail from a Mr. Hornung asking for this position to be put out for new bids. This is not a biddable position. This is a contract employee position. EMERGENCY COMMUNICATIONS 2009 BUDGET PROPOSALS Swetlik explained his budget proposals. Swetlik met all requirements asked of and also submitted a "stay -at current service level ". Discussion was held. Swetlik advised that the current challenges facing the budget preparation relate to the difficulty with using the 2008 budget as the comparison. Up until November of 2008 all the costs associated with wireless 911 were funded through a grant. The sunset for this grant is November of 2008. This means that continued funding for wireless 911 would need to come from the budget. Since these monies were not in the 2008 budget this results in an increase of over $35,000 for the 2009 proposed budget. An additional challenge facing the comparison approach relates to the phone and voice mail systems of New Richmond and Hudson. A one year maintenance plan for the phone system and voice mail system was included in the initial purchase. This plan expires in January of 2009. A pooling of maintenance plans between New Richmond, Hudson, and Baldwin will result in a possible savings of over $6,000. The combined plan will cost $12,000 of which New Richmond has already budgeted for $8,000. The additional $4,000 was not part of the 2008 budget and would be added to the 2009. The last challenge with budget comparisons involves the three Telecommunicator positions that were implanted in April, May, and June of 2008 as a cost - savings measure. These positions would need to be fully funded for 2009 which increases the budget $97,000 in salary and benefits for the three positions. The budget proposed that will maintain a current level of service results in an 8.19% increase. The increase is related to the items listed above. The 0% increase budget proposal results in the removal of the maintenance contracts for the 911 system. Swetlik cautioned that this could result in higher time and materials costs as well as the loss of software upgrades and pledged response time s for technicians. This could result in prolonged "down time" for the 911 system. The maintenance plan for Government Center phone and voice mail as well as the Baldwin voicemail would also be eliminated. The 0% budget also calls for the elimination of the two 0.7 FTE Telecommunicator positions that were approved for 2008. The 5% decrease budget proposal would call for all of the cuts outlined in the 0% budget along with the removal of one 1.0 FTE Telecommunicator position. The overtime was also reduced in order to meet the 5% directive which will result in the communications center having to re- define staffing minimums to a lower number. Swetlik expressed concern that this could lead to increased Telecommunicator burnout and turnover and would force the communications center to take a look at other services it provides for other county agencies such as alarm monitoring and warrant entries. The 10% decrease budget proposal would call for all the cuts outlined in the 0% and -5% budget along with the removal of one more 1.0 FTE Telecommunicator position. A Mortensen/Ostness MOTION was made to accept all Emergency Communications budget proposals and present to the Finance Committee DIRECTOR'S REPORT — EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT Colvard explained that through OJA (Office of Justice Assistance), Mass Casualty Trailers were purchased, and there is a new grant being offered through OJA that would replenish these trailers with equipment, but the trailers would need to be available regionally which is a condition of this grant and it would put an added expense to EM or the municipality which houses trailer. Colvard supplied a MOU from the State which needs to be returned by September 1, 2008. Rebholz will review the MOU and report back to Colvard on the direction of action. The grant application deadline is 8 -19 -2008; EM will apply for $28,883 for mass casualty equipment for all three trailers. Colvard reported that Dunn County and Pierce County have reviewed the MOU for EM Assistance and will forward to their County Board. Colvard has not heard Barron County's opinion. - Colvard reported that the CERT Grant for New Richmond has been approved. - Colvard reported there is a 2007 Interoperability Equipment Grant; Glenwood City has been approved for the purchase of 2 portable radios. EM will submit a grant application on their behalf for the radios. - Colvard reported that an EOC will be opened for the RNC, September 1 st through the 4th, Noon - Midnight. This is being funded through a State DHHS grant. R. Haider, J. Colvard, C. Nelson, Public Health and hospital representatives will participate and or observe activities. Colvard was asked, by Public Health, to invite the Public Health Consortium personnel from Balsam Lake. Ostness reported it costs $5 for a County map from Planning and Zoning which he purchased; he then took it to a duplication business and paid only .78 cents for a copy. He questioned why such a high cost for a simple county map. Responders need to pay for maps also, as does Dispatch. DIRECTOR'S REPORT — EMERGENCY COMMUNICATIONS Swetlik reported that one Capital Outlay item - Mass Notification System, is again being explored through a combined approach with HHS and other departments within the Government Center. Swetlik explained an upcoming meeting with all concerned parties will be held to see if one system can meet all parties' needs. This could bring a change to Swetlik's Capital Outlay line item. Swetlik thanked C. Sortedahl for all her work and clarity in their dealings. SHORT AND LONG TERM GOALS COMMITTEE CHAIRMAN'S COMMENTS Borup wanted to stress the need for sensitivity towards staff around budget time and the harsh reality of the impact on staff. Whiting invited Committee members to the LEPC Committee Meeting 8/13/08 to view the Presentation by the Hugo Administrator regarding the Hugo Tornado on 5/25/08. J. Frye reported he responded to a spill on I -94, along with Klatt and Hulcher Services. The meeting adjourned at 11:00 a.m. Recording Secretary Emergency Mgmt. Administrative Secretary