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HomeMy WebLinkAboutEmergency Management and Communications 10-31-01 Ix 4 AGENDA ST. CROIX COUNTY NOTICE OF COMMITTEE MEETING TO: Thomas Dorsey, Chairman St. Croix County Board FROM: Chuck Mehls, Chairman COMMITTEE TITLE: Emergency Management /Emergency Communications DATE OF MEETING: Wednesday, October 31, 2001 TIME: 9:00 a.m. LOCATION: Woodville Pioneer Building CALL TO ORDER ROLL CALL ADOPTION OF AGENDA DATE OF NEXT MEETING OPEN ACTION ON PREVIOUS MINUTES UNFINISHED BUSINESS 1. Update on Red Cross Shelters in St. Croix County 2. Employee ID Badges for County Government Staff NEW BUSINESS 3. Communications Van Storage Facility 4. Twin Cities Evacuation Potential 5. First Aid /CPR for Government Center Staff 6. RACES Transmitter 7. Director's Report - Emergency Communications 8. Director's Report - Emergency Management 9. Bills - Communications - August 10. Bills - Emergency Management - August 11. Closed Session under Section 19.85 (1) (c) for consideration of employment, promotion, compensation or performance evaluation of a public employee ANNOUNCEMENTS AND CORRESPONDENCE POSSIBLE AGENDA ITEMS FOR NEXT MEETING: ADJOURNMENT (This agenda not necessarily presented in this order) SUBMITTED BY: Jack Colvard, Emergency Management - Phone #386- 4719/386 -4718 Gary Kollman Emergency Communications — Phone #386 -4705 DATE: 10 /10 /01 Copies to: County Board Office Committee Members County Clerk News Media /Notice Board MINUTES Emergency Management /Communications Committee October 31, 2001 PRESENT: Chuck Mehls, Art Jacobson, Denise Bjerstedt, John Mortensen — County Board; Jack Colvard, Carrie Peterson — Emergency Management; Gary Kollman — Emergency Communications; David Sander — Land and Water Conservation Department; Eldon Bader — RACES Chairman Mehls called the meeting to order at 9:10 a.m. The Agenda was adopted on a Mortensen/Jacobson motion. After review, minutes from the September 25, 2001 Emergency Management/Communication Meeting were approved on a Bjerstedt/Mortensen motion. DATE OF NEXT MEETING: Wednesday, November 28, 2001 at 2:30 p.m. in Star Prairie at the Village Hall. County Board Members will meet at 1:30 prior to the scheduled meeting. UNFINISHED BUSINESS: 1. Update on Red Cross Shelters Colvard has received several new contracts from the Red Cross. The master list has been updated. The committee went through the list discussing each municipality and what shelters have been endorsed by the American Red Cross. Colvard and Peterson will work with the Red Cross to add a few more to the list. 2. Emplovee ID Badges Colvard stated he was a member of the Safety and Security Committee and it was brought up at their last meeting. There are some employees that do not want to wear badges. The Emergency Management/Communications committee agreed it could be an ID card that could be kept in a wallet or pocket. The committee agreed it should be a personnel issue. A lengthy discussion was held on issuing keys and badges. Whose responsibility is it? It was brought up that an entrance and exit interview should be done for all employees. The committee felt it was an extreme concern and needs to be addressed. NEW BUSINESS: 3. Communications Van Storage Bjerstedt stated the storage facility is now ready for the communications van. Kollman asked if there was electricity in the building. Bjerstedt thought there was but would look into it. The communications van needs to be plugged in. 4. Twin Cities Evacuation Mehls stated we are not prepared for a Twin Cities evacuation if they needed shelter in St. Croix County. We have no plans to accept these people if the need arose. Colvard volunteered to call Washington and Dakota County to discuss what their plans are. 5. First Aid/CPR for Government Center Staff Debra Kathan, Personnel Department, sent out a letter to all county employees. This letter informed employees that there would be first aid classes held at the Government Center in November. Colvard has since received a call to conduct an additional class at the Health Center in New Richmond. 6. RACES Transmitter Kollman brought up several concerns with the current county owned RACES transmitter. Kollman said there are two options; 1. Unplug it or 2. Give the transmitter to a trustee to oversee and use the same maintenance contract we have now. Eldon Bader, representative from the St. Croix County RACES personnel, was present at our meeting and said it was very important at this time that we keep the transmitter up and running. Kollman will work with Corporate Counsel and Al Murray to bring this to a conclusion. p. Director's Report — Emergency Communications Kollman addressed the committee about the new position in the Communications Department. Kollman asked their thoughts on the possibility of hiring from within if anyone applied. The committee thought it would be fine. The position will also be posted to the public. Kollman addressed some concerns on the grade level and stated it would not look very appealing to current staff. He will talk to personnel and see what could be done. Kollman is still working on the burning permit survey he is conducting. He has received a few back and has made calls to the town supervisors. He will inform the committee of the status at the next meeting. Nine employees took the Time Certification course and are now certified. Kollman is in the process of purchasing six portable radios and a charger. Kollman can get a much better deal by going through the Minnesota Cooperative Venture Program. We will have to pay a $500.00 joining fee. Kollman was informed that there might be money available to pay this fee. Discussion took place concerning the sale of the old communications van. Three bids have been received. There appears to be a problem with the transmission on the old van. Kollman was directed to have the unit checked for any necessary mechanical repairs before finalizing the sale based upon the high bid. 8. Director's Report — Emergency Management Dave Sanders, Land and Water Conservation Department Dave Sanders came to the committee with a concern and asked advice on what could be done. Sanders feels that the farms in St. Croix County should have placards on any buildings with hazardous chemicals. He tried to get this written into an Animal Waste Ordinance but the Citizens Advisory Committee didn't feel this was the right place. Sanders feels it needs to be somewhere. Colvard informed the committee there is a grant available and he will apply for it. If the grant is approved the money will be used to get this up and running. The committee decided to start on a voluntary basis for now with the possibility of having an ordinance written making it mandatory. Colvard informed the committee that we received checks totaling $101,799.40 for flooding and storm damages for Town of Kinnickinnic, Town of Pleasant Valley, Town of Eau Galle, St. Croix County Hwy. Dept., St. Croix County Parks, Town of Troy, Village of N. Hudson, and City of Hudson. Colvard sent a letter to Chuck Whiting identifying training that has taken place within the county for county employees over the past years. Colvard stated that the state arbitrarily assigned a risk and vulnerability number for the county concerning terrorist threats (risk = 1 lowest, vulnerability = 7 medium). These numbers were assigned because the county didn't participate in the state's terrorism grant. The grant has been offered again. Colvard asked the committee if we should participate and the committee didn't think it was necessary. Colvard passed out the evaluation and summary of the Woodville tabletop exercise that was presented on September 27. Colvard had copies of the 4 01 quarter reportthat he has to submit for grant reimbursement, for the committee to review. 9. Emergency Communications — September Bills Bills were approved on a Bjerstedt/Jacobson motion. 10. Emergency Management — September Bills Bills were approved on a Jacobson/Bjerstedt motion. 11. Closed session under Section 19.85 (1) (C) This item was tabled until the November 28, 2001 meeting due to time constraints. Future Agenda Items Red Cross Shelter Update Adjournment: The meeting was adjourned at 12:35 on a JacobsonBjerstedt motion. Respectfully submitted, Carrie A. Peterson, Recording Secretary