HomeMy WebLinkAboutEmergency Management and Communications 11-28-01AMENDED 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, November 28, 2001
TIME: 1:30 p.m.
LOCATION: Star Prairie Village Hall
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
3. RACES Transmitter
4. Twin Cities Evacuation Potential
NEW BUSINESS
5. Vehicle Towing Policy
6. WCA Seminar "Homeland Security"
7. Star Prairie Emergency Operation Plan
8. Director's Report - Emergency Communications
9. Director's Report - Emergency Management
10. Emergency Management Bills - October
11. Communications Bills - October
12. 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: 11/26/01
Copies to: County Board Office Committee Members
County Clerk News Media /Notice Board
MINUTES
Emergency Management /Communications Committee
November 28, 2001
PRESENT: Chuck Mehls, Art Jacobson, John Mortensen — County Board; Jack Colvard — Emergency Management;
Gary Kollman — Emergency Communications; Jim VanderWyst — New Richmond Fire Chief, Ron Volkert — Sheriff's
Department; Roger Larson — President, Village of Star Prairie.
EXCUSED: Denise Bjerstedt, Tom Dorsey — County Board; Dick Trende — Hudson Police Chief, Jeff Rixman — River
Falls Ambulance.
Chairman Mehls called the meeting to order at 1:30 p.m.
12. Closed Session under Section 19.85 (1)(c) for consideration of performance evaluation of public employees
Jacobson/Mortensen MOTION to go into closed session under Section 19.85 (1)(c) for performance evaluation of public
employees. At 2:28 p.m. Mortensen/Mehls MOTION to come out of closed session after performance evaluation of Jack
Colvard — Emergency Management Director and Gary Kollman — Emergency Communications Director was completed.
The Agenda was adopted on a Jacobson/Mortensen MOTION.
After review, minutes from the October 31, 2001 Emergency Management/Communications Meeting were approved on a
Mortensen/Jacoson MOTION.
DATE OF NEXT MEETING: Wednesday, December 12, 2001 at 9:00 a.m. in Deer Park at the Village Hall.
UNFINISHED BUSINESS:
1. Update on Red Cross Shelters
The master list of shelters in the county has been updated, including the contact personnel's telephone numbers.
Colvard distributed the updated list to all municipalities to include with their emergency plans. He will work with the
Red Cross to add a few more to the list.
2. Employee ID Badges
Kollman stated that he and Colvard are members of the Safety and Security Committee and ID badges was brought up
at their last meeting. Dave Best, who is also on the Committee, was going to check on multiple use badges and bring
the information to the next committee meeting.
3. RACES Transmitter
Kollman reported that he had worked with our Corporation Counsel and Mr. Al Murray to arrive at contract language
acceptable to both sides. A letter of agreement has been signed by Kollman and Mr. Murray. Mr. Murray is now
officially responsible for the operation of our RACES Transmitter. Kollman was directed to send a letter to Mr.
Murray asking him to update the RACES roster for St. Croix County.
4. Twin Cities Evacuation Potential
Colvard made inquiries with metropolitan emergency management directors, and there are no organized plans
specifically identifying the evacuation of the Twin Cities except for a possible Prairie Island Nuclear Power Plant
emergency.
NEW BUSINESS:
5. Vehicle Towing Policy
Kollman reported that since he has been here he has fielded requests from towing companies within the County. They
are apparently looking to him to regulate their industry for them. He cited that one call involved a request for a
procedure, wherein, if a tow company was able to tow more than one car from an accident scene, the tow company
should be asked to take them all instead of calling separate companies for each vehicle. Kollman advised the calling
party that he should work with the other companies on this issue and get back to him. A second call involved a tow
company which complained about another company, which he did not believe, was licensed or insured and wanted
Kollman to have him arrested whenever he showed up at an accident scene. Kollman referred this to the Sheriff's
Department. Lastly, Kollman received a complaint from a tow company that they could not get motor vehicle
registration information from our dispatcher and was told to contact the Sheriff's Department. Kollman advised that
technically the dispatcher was correct and that it is a violation of the TIME System rules for us to provide such
information to anyone other than Law Enforcement. Since the communications center accesses the Time System
under the Sheriff's authority, Kollman referred this to the Sheriff. Kollman asked that someone take the lead in these
matters and although he would be glad to assist, some of these things are out of his area of control. It was decided by
the Committee that Kollman should send a letter to the tow companies asking them to form a group to address their
own problems and concerns and then bring them forward. Supervisor Mehls agreed to bring the rest of the items to
the Public Protection Committee.
6. WCA Seminar — "Homeland Security"
Colvard informed the Committee about the seminar and that he and Chuck Mehls are planning on attending it on
December 17` at Eau Claire. Also, as a cost saving, he submitted Chuck Whiting and Dawn Budrow on the voucher
for the seminar. He also asked if any other committee members were interested in attending.
7. Star Prairie Emergency Operations Plan
The Committee was pleased that Star Prairie developed a plan for their community and both Colvard and the
Committee assured Roger Larson, Village President, that the County would support them in the event of any kind of
an emergency affecting the community. Larson said that the Village would like to do an internal exercise to test their
plan and eventually would like to participate in a county exercise.
8. Director's Report — Emergency Communications
Kollman reported that the transmission problem with the old Communications Van was simply worn linkage that was
adjusted at no cost to the County. The van was sold for $1,501.00 to the highest bidder.
Kollman expressed continued concern over the compensation for the new Staff Supervisor position. He met with his
staff and outlined the position and its compensation. It is his hope that he can hire from within the department from a
pool of his best people. Some of his best people have come forward saying that they were not interested, citing very
little difference in gross pay. Kollman was directed to continue working with Personnel to improve this.
Kollman reported that the $5oo membership fee for participation in the Minnesota Cooperative Purchasing Venture
might have to be approved by Finance. Kollman was directed to continue to pursue this and try to get it done prior to
December 18, 2001.
9. Director's Report — Emergency Management
Colvard distributed rosters showing the classes that have been presented to emergency service agencies in the county,
and those classes that still have to be presented. Classes that have been presented total $3,692.90, all of which has
been 100% reimbursed by the state. So far, an allocation of $4,946.40 has been awarded for classes, which are
scheduled for presentation in future months.
Colvard informed the Committee that checks totaling approximately $116,000 have been received and distributed to
the municipalities that were affected by the flooding and storms this past spring. Also, the Parks Department has
received approval for reimbursement of approximately $25,000 for damages incurred at the park on the St. Croix
River.
Colvard informed the Committee that his secretary, Carrie Peterson, has quit in order to take another position as a
contracted employee with a bank in New Richmond. Personnel, has posted the position and will be advertising the
position if no union employees post into it.
10. Emergency Management Bills - October
Bills were approved on a Mortensen /Jacobson MOTION.
11. Emergency Communications Bills —October
Bills were approved on a VanderWyst/ Mortensen MOTION.
Future Agenda Items
Adjournment:
The meeting was adjourned at 4:30p.m. on a Jacobson/Mortensen MOTION.
R ectfully sub itted,
Jack Colvard, Recording Secretary