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Home My WebLink AboutEmergency Management and Communications 04-30-01 ix 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: TIME: LOCATION: Monday, April 30, 2001 9:00 a.m. Community Room, Lower Level Government Center Hudson, WI 54016 CALL TO ORDER ROLL CALL ADOPTION OF AGENDA DATE OF NEXT MEETING OPEN ACTION ON PREVIOUS MINUTES INTRODUCTION OF THE NEW EMERGENCY COMMUNICATIONS DIRECTOR UNFINISHED BUSINESS 1) Report on microwave system and maintenance agreement 2) Report on radio system (including Com. Cntr.) and maintenance agreements 3) Report on Communications Center voice recorder 4) Daily pager tests NEW BUSINESS 5) Update on Communications Center staff positions 6) Communications /Command Post van update 7) Mutual Aid Equipment Inventory a) Agencies b) Municipalities 8) Director's Report - Communications Director 9) Director's Report - Emergency Management 10) Bills - Emergency Communications 11) Bills - Emergency Management 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 #3864719/3864718 DATE: 04/11/01 Copies to: County Board Office County Clerk Committee Members News Media /Notice Board WOFFICIAL MINUTES Emergency Management /Communications Committee April 20, 2001 PRESENT: Chuck Mehls, Art Jacobson, Denise Bjerstedt, John Mortensen - County Board; Jack Colvard, Mary Souter - Emergency Management; Gary Kollman, Steve Bahneman - Emergency Communications, Jeff Rixmann - River Falls EMS; Dennis Hillstead, Ron Volkert - Sheriffs Department; Jim VanderWyst, New Richmond Fire Department; Bob Schwalen, River Falls Fire Department. Absent: Dick Trende, Hudson Police Department. Chairman Mehls called the meeting to order at 9:01 a.m. The Agenda was adopted on a Mortensen /VanderWyst Motion. DATE OF NEXT MEETING: Tuesday, Mary 15, 2001 at 9:00 AM - Emergency Management Office After review, minutes from the March 21, 2001 Emergency Management /Emergency Communications Meeting were approved on a Bjerstedt /Jacobson MOTION. OLD BUSINESS: & 2 REPORT ON MICROWAVE SYSTEM AND MAINTENANCE APREEMENT AND RAD SYSTEM AND MAINTENANCE AGREEMENTS: The microwave system has been realigned and repaired and is now within BearComm specifications for placing it on a maintenance contract. BearComm quoted a total price of $19,500 for three maintenance contracts for the following equipment; the microwave system, Communications center equipment and radio base stations. However, before the radio system can be placed on a maintenance contract, the radio system will have to be realigned the same as the microwave system was. Kollman will get the costs from Rich Loney, that have been paid out for repairs and maintenance, in the last five years, for comparing to the maintenance contract prices quoted. Kollman will report back to the committee at the May 15, 2001 meeting. On a Motion by Mehls / Bjerstedt, BearComm is to do a complete tower /base station inspection by May 15, 2001, in order to determine the costs of bringing the radio system up to specifications for placing it on a maintenance contract. 3. REPORT ON COMMUNICATIONS CEN VOICE RECORDER: Luffler Business Systems was called in to repair the voice recorder, on April 6, 2001. They were able to repair the recorder at a cost of $240.00. This was far below the anticipated cost, first estimated, of $4,000.00. A maintenance contract is available, if the County elects to purchase it. 4. DAILY PAGER TESTS: Testing is done between 7:00 p.m. and 8:00 p.m. and has been working quite well. NEW BUSINESS: 5. UPDATE ON COMMUNICATIONS CENTER STAFF POSTIIONS: Kollman stated he has had discussions with the majority of the dispatchers to hear their concerns. There was discussion of a supervisor position, which could act for Kollman when he was unavailable. Kollman suggested that we create a non -union supervisor position, which would work from 4:00 p.m. till midnight and provide direct supervision for the center. He also suggested the creation of a 2 °d Lead Telecommunicator position for the 11:00 p.m. till 6:00 a.m. shift. That shift is normally staffed with our most inexperienced people and is in need of a resource person as well as a Lead Person. If this position were created, it would be a union represented position and be promoted from the ranks of the existing staff. No "back filling" of the promotion would be necessary. Lastly, he suggested that the duties of the current Lead Telecommunicator position, held by Steve Bahneman, be changed to concentrate on more technically oriented duties. This would require hiring an additional telecommunicator to relieve Bahneman of his dispatching duties. FFICIAL RECORD The Committee directed Kollman to further define the roles of the suggested positions, draft job descriptions and bring them to the next meeting for consideration. Kollman stated that the staff of the Communications Center appears to be one of the strengths of his department. The telecommunicators are experienced and knowledgeable but they lack standardized procedures. He would like to begin working with the police, fire and EMS user groups as soon as possible to develop standardized procedures so that he can develop a Policy /Procedure Manual for the telecommunicators. 6. COMMUNICATIONS /COMMAND POST VAN UPDATE: Mehls reported the Communications Van has been garaged at Richard La Cosse's, where it is having the radios installed. Mehls is in search of a permanent storage place for the van, as it is extremely hard on the equipment for the van to sit out in the sun and cold weather during the winter. Jacobson will look into possibly storing the van at the Hudson Highway Department building. Mehls told the committee the van needs an office type chair and a tray for the computer keyboard. 7. MUTUAL AID EQUIPMENT INVENTORY: This will be addressed at the next meeting on May 15, 2001. 8. DIRECTOR'S REPORT- COMMUNICATIONS DIRECTOR: Kollman reported he is working on staff structure and equipment maintenance contracts. He wants to meet with the Chiefs from EMS, Police and Fire as to their concerns. He wants the Committee to define his border of authority. Tom Boron wants to keep the in house phone system in his office. He will keep the committee informed as to any problems. 9. DIRECTOR'S REPORT - EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT: Colvard reported that the second quarter activity report has been sent to the State. Al Murray has volunteered to handle the RACES repeater repairs and maintenance. The only cost to the County would be for equipment replacement, if needed. Four Municipal Emergency declarations and County concurrences have been signed, addressing the flood conditions on the St. Croix River. Initial damage estimates from the four Municipalities are approximately $500,000.00. Mehls and Colvard attended the Wisconsin Association of Hazardous Materials Responders (WAHMER) Conference on March 9 th and 10 2001 at Wisconsin Rapids. For only being a 1 -112 day conference, it was extremely informative and educational. He has had some problems with W. I. T. C. billing. February Classes are just being billed to us. Colvard is requesting a new line item in the budget for disaster funding. This would be built into the 2002 budget and would be used only for emergency funding for miscellaneous equipment, such as sandbags, when needed. 10. BILLS - EMERGENCY COMMUNICATIONS: The April bills were approved on a Jacobson /Mortensen Motion. 11.BILLS - EME RGENCY MANAGEMENT: The April Bills were approved on a VanderWyst /Mortensen Motion. EMERGENCY SERVICES- REPRESENTATIVES /CONCERNS: Fire Service - Bob Schwalen, River Falls Fire Department voiced concern over missing a page on last Friday evening, 4/27/01. He was invited to the Emergency Communications Center for a tour. VanderWyst stated that the Fire Chiefs are intending to form a new association. E r EMS - No special concerns at this time. OFFICIAL Rcu Law Enforcement - Not present at this meeting. Sheriff's Dept. - Sheriff Hillstead addressed his responsibilities involving the TIME System and that he would work with Kollman to come up with an agreement between the Sheriff's Department and dispatch that would satisfy state and federal requirements, concerning the usage of the system. POSSIBLE AGENDA ITEMS FOR NEXT MEETING: Mutual Aid equipment inventory ADJOURNMENT: The meeting was adjourned at 11:35 a.m. on a Jacobson /Mortensen MOTION. Respectfully submitted, Mary M Souter, Recording Secretary 3