Loading...
2000-01-31 Regular Meeting r""'-"-'~'''''''''''''''''''''''-------__________:-.,,", '_ 11~f"r-lvrn r-~._.... _ ,. ,,' ~ FIRE PROTECTION AREA NO.1 BOARD REGULAR MEETING - JANUARY 31, 2000 - 7:30 :'p.m. BAYSIDE FIRE STATION Ii MINUTES f KOrHP{ I('>Lt.~'''\ ~~"'): ;'>1 , Or:r.rr:r: n~.' f.. 'I I ,~. ~' , ~ ......'$0". v~ ~. ~' ,,-: ~ DEC212000 i,~- "..""-....="'-"'_.,.....,""'~, The meeting was called to order by Chair Eileen Probasco at 7:35 PM. Members in attendance included Eileen Probasco, Kevin Arndt and Scott Arndt. A quorum was present. Absent: Jeff Halcomb and Eric McFarlin - Excused Also present: Acting Chief Bob Himes, Doug Mathers, Dick Carstens, Mike Donavan, Jean Adams. Rob Casey, Wayne Kingston. APPROVAL OF AGENDA The agenda was approved as presented. MINUTES The minutes of the July 22. 1999 meeting were unavailable. AUDIENCE COMMENTS Dick Carstens was concerned that there seemed to be less "perks" for the volunteers as there had been in the past. such as t-shirts, sweatshirts, etc. He felt that these types of items offered incentive and promoted camaraderie among the volunteers. Other volunteers agreed and wished that there could be more organized activities that would promote and publicize the volunteer organization. There was some dissatisfaction expressed among the volunteers that they seemed to be treated as "employees" when it was convenient for the Borough, but that they did not qualify as "employees" when it came to benefits. Doug Mathers suggested that we get an official determination from the Borough on whether the volunteers are or are not considered as employees. Bob Himes reported that discussion to that effect was pending in the state legislature, and there was a teleconference recently on the issue. He said that he would track the issue and inform the Board and volunteers of the status. FINANCIAL REPORT A motion was made by Scott Arndt, 2nd by Kevin Arndt, to acknowledge receipt of the financial report dated 12/31/99. Motion passed by unanimous voice vote. CHAIR'S REPORT A) Volunteer's Concerns - Chair Probasco said that she had followed up on several of the suggestions made at the worksession on January 19.2000. She had contacted Asa Cole. Editor, at the Kodiak Daily Mirror and asked that a KDM reporter do a story on the Kodiak area fire fighters and the shortage of volunteers in Kodiak as well as around the United States. He said he would assign a reporter to the story when time allowed. Fire Protection Area No.1 Januarv 31, 2000 Page 1 of 4 ~c i She had also checked on possible fire fighting classes being made available for local students at the Kodiak Community College. She discovered that there were no such classes available at the University of Alaska Anchorage, which is the college affiliated with KOC. There was, howeveL a full degree available at University of Alaska Fairbanks. but that the classes were not able through KOC. Employee benefits for volunteer fire fighters could not be detennined until it was clarified vvhether or not volunteers are officially considered as Borough employees. She had also contacted Judi Nielsen. Borough Clerk, and asked if a notification could be put in the Borough weekly news page, encouraging community members to become volunteer tire tighters. Clerk Nielsen told her that she would put something in the newspage as soon as she received it from the Acting Chief Chair Probasco also reported that she had contacted the teacher at Kodiak Area Wide School. and asked if he would be willing to be an advocate for the volunteer fire fighters. He could help by encouraging younger students that he thought might be interested to participate in the Explorer program and by encouraging those students age 18 or older to take the training needed to become a volunteer fire fighter. The teacher said that he would be glad to do that, but suggested that a tire tighter contact him and make arrangements for a classroom visit and to talk about what the students could do to become one. He said that many times, the thing that most students ask about any opportunity like this is "What's in it for me?" She said that she would continue to pursue the other suggestions made by volunteers, particularly_ finding out what other communities paid their volunteers for drills and calls. as well as coming up with a letter to employers of volunteers, requesting that volunteers not be required to take leave if called out during their normal work hours. ACTING CHIEF'S REPORT Acting Chief Himes reported that he participated in the chief s conference via teleconference on Thursdav. He mentioned that a representative from AML/JIA would be in Kodiak on February 9 and 10. and suggested that would be a good time to meet with the rep. to determine the employee status of volunteer fire fighters. Acting Chief Himes also reponed that hoses. wildland fire fighting equipment. and wildland fire fighting pants \vere going to be purchased from the $2500 grant that was received from State Forestry Grant program. He mentioned that Channel 19 was broadcasting on Wednesdays at 9:00 a.m. from the Kodiak College. and this week's program would focus on recruiting and maintaining volunteers. He said that he would be traveling to Anchorage to attend the ANFIRS workshop at Fort Richardson on February 12 & 13. He would also attend the Chiefs Conference in Juneau February 22 through 25. Fire Protection Area :\0. t Januan" 31.2000 Page 2 of 4 L Acting Chief Himes reported that? 5 fire related calls were received last year. UNFINISHED BUSINESS A) Storage/Bay addition plans - The board discussed the status of the addition plans. There is now 5 members on the Architectural Review Board, however one member will be out of town until approximately the first \veek in March. In addition, with no Borough engineer currently on staff, and no engineer on the Architectural Revie\v Board there was a need to hire an engineer to prepare required engineering specifications and bid documents on the addition. Scott Arndt moved, 2nd by Kevin Arndt, that the Fire Protection Area #1 Board should hire Barry Still to assist Robin Heinrichs with preparation of required engineering for the addition plans. The motion carried by unanimous roll call vote. Chair Probasco would contact Robin Heinrichs and Barry Still and request that they meet and proceed. Chair Probasco would send a letter to Barry Stihl officially requesting him to proceed with preparing the needed engineering for the addition. NEW BUSINESS A) Job Description - Fire Chief! Assistant Fire Chief Chair Probasco reported that she had received copies of job descriptions from fire chiefs in other Alaska communities.. They were in the packet and she encouraged the board members and Acting Chief to compare them and be ready to make suggestions for revisions to the KIB Fire Chief and Assistant Fire Chief position descriptions. at the next board meeting. B) FY 2001 Budget - The board was presented with the budget work sheet, and a copy of the current year's budget. COMMUNICA TIONS Acting Chief Himes presented the board with a thank you letter from the scholarship recipient to the Volunteer's association. BOARD MEMBER COMMENTS Chair Probasco said that she would follow up with scheduling a time that a Fire Dept. representative could meet with the AML/JIA representative in February. AUDIENCE COMMENTS None The meeting adjourned at 9:30 p.m. ) <) ,-.-=q, I ..,J- , ....J - '--"''-' Date Approved ~?JrA/1Y- Scott Arndt. Chair at time of Approval of Minutes Fire Protection Area No. I January 31, 2000 Page 3 of 4 b ,