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2007-04-17 Regular Meeting FIRE PROTECTION AREA NO.1 BOARD REGULAR MEETING MINUTES April 17, 2007 @ 7:30 p.m. BA YSIDE FIRE HALL CALL TO ORDER: CHAIR DOLPH, called the meeting to order at 7:30 p.m. ROLL CALL: Present: Scott Arndt Cliff Davidson Mike Dolph, Chair Rebecca Nelson, Vice Chair Greg Spalinger Absent: Staff: Chief Bob Himes, Ex-Officio Jessica Kepley, ElF A quorum was established. Public attendees were Kurt Law, Dick Carstens, and Andrew DeVries. ACCEPTANCE OF AGENDA: It was MOVED, DAVIDSON and SECONDED, SPALINGER to accept the agenda as presented. The motion CARRIED unanimously. ACKNOWLEDGE RECEIPT OF THE FINANCIAL REPORT: It was MOVED, ARNDT and SECONDED, SPALINGER to acknowledge receipt of the financial report. The motion CARRIED unanimously. APPROVAL OF MINUTES: It was MOVED, ARNDT and SECONDED, SPALINGER to approve the minutes for March 6 & 10,2007, as presented. The motion CARRIED unanimously. PUBLIC COMMENTS: None. CHIEF'S REPORT: None. FIREFIGHTER'S ASSOCIATION REPORT: None. CHAIR'S REPORT: CHAIR presented a summary of the meeting held with the Borough Manager, Chief Himes and others re the area wide EMS Borough services. Outcome of the letter from the Dept of Commerce, says the Borough must adopt EMS powers either area or non-area wide. CHAIR will try to pursue coming up with something cooperative during the interim, while this issue is being settled with the City. As for adopting EMS powers, Gifford intimated that the Borough would not be interested in adopting area wide powers as this would have to include the villages as well. Non-area wide would specify EMS powers on the road system only. Non-area wide by Service District would leave an option for those in the Service Area to vote on EMS powers within the Service Area only. The official way to pursue this would be to place on the upcoming ballot, which Gifford feels is a sensible thing to do. SPALINGER was concerned that once the Assembly adopted non-area wide EMS powers, the City could come back and say they won't respond to call in our area with the ambulance, forcing the Borough to acquire their own ambulance. Further discussion followed. OLD BUSINESS: A. Annual Meeting Schedule It was MOVED, DA VIDSON and SECONDED, SP ALINGER to designate the first Tuesday of each month and the third Tuesday of each month as work sessions and regular meetings respectfully. During discussion, ARNDT reminded the Board to consider these dates as guidelines and not a rigid schedule; he would like to see flexibility continue when scheduling meetings. DOLPH stated the Board owed it to the public to be predictable and to schedule the meetings so that the public knows when they are to be held. The motion CARRIED unanimously. B. Revised Equipment List HIMES presented the Board with an updated equipment list (including prices). The motion, DAVIDSON, to approve purchase of the equipment was made and withdrawn. It was MOVED, ARNDT and SECONDED, SPALINGER to direct staff to get price quotes on the equipment, including the vendor names and model #s and bring this information back to the Board (encumbrance deadline for part of the equipment order is June 30, 2007). After further discussion by the Board, the motion CARRIED unanimously. C. Cossette House Disposal No updates. D. Bayside Addition - RFP Copies of the RFP were given to the Board. RFP is now being advertised. KEPLEY gave Board an overview of the interest in the RFP. CHAIR pointed out the schedule for what is to come, successful contractor not given Notice to Proceed until September 21, 2007. Delay in construction means no where to store the new fire apparatuses when they arrive. Board will have to look at storage options until construction of addition is complete. NEW BUSINESS A. Two Quotes for Boiler Service HIMES reported that he was directed by the Board, at the last meeting, to get two quotes on the boiler; Local Electric and Reed Electric came and looked at the boiler and provided quotes. Bud Cassidy informed HIMES that he was looking into repair of the boiler (which was stated to Board by HIMES at last meeting); Cassidy had John's Heating Service do the work on the boiler as they did the previous work. This action upset the two electric companies that were asked for quotes by HIMES, and they both refuse to do additional work, such as putting the smoke and heat detectors back in the boiler room. KEPLEY stated the EF office was aware that there was a time limit (through State of Alaska) to get the work done and that was why Cassidy went ahead to get have the work completed as soon as possible. B. Staff Secretary Training - Board Funding Letter from KEPLEY was provided, outlining the value of the training and requesting Board funding to assist with travel and training expenses. It was MOVED, DA VIDSON and SECONDED, NELSON for the Board to approve $1000 (NTE) in order for KEPLEY to attend the Northwest Clerk's Training during the week of June 3 - 8, 2007. DAVIDSON feels that they would save money by training staff properly and KEPLEY would benefit greatly, as would the Board, by sending her to the training. SP ALINGER and ARNDT were opposed to the action, providing their comments during discussion. The motion CARRIED, 3 to 2. PUBLIC COMMENTS: Dick Carstens: Pleased to get new equipment (vehicles) for the Fire Area but concerned that there will not be an addition to hold the new apparatuses. Question, where do these two pieces go? Two new vehicles will be a great addition to the fire district and to the fire fighters to get to and from fires safely; its too bad these apparatuses or the older ones may pay the price. Hope to find some place in the meantime to hold them safely, in a dry and not frozen storage facility. However we are moving on and that is good. Andrew DeVries: Commended the CHAIR for setting up the meetings once a month. The Board's past record was not above par on meeting schedules but by holding firm on the new schedule we should see greater audience participation and more will be accomplished. Recommended using the facilities at the Coast Guard Fire Station, to facilitate Board members and meetings. Appreciates KEPLEY and the things she does to help the Board and supporting her education is a pat on the back to her and this won't do anything but better the Board and their efforts. BOARD MEMBER COMMENTS: ARNDT. Nick Hendricks can provide a DVD walk thru of the building of the two apparatuses. That service is provided in lieu of inspection trips needed. Suggested doing final inspection on both vehicles at the same time, although the Rescue truck will be completed before the Pumper truck. Board needs to decide who to send to final inspection; suggests a day of inspection for each apparatus. Would like to see HIMES come back with verification on the $400 cost of the DVD. DAVIDSON. Takes to heart the comments Carstens made re the storage of the vehicles. He would like staff to pursue rental options for vehicle storage around the department someplace. ARNDT interjected that Bruce McNeil offered storage options at his place. DAVIDSON continued that he would like this to be complete prior to the vehicles arriving. DOLPH. Pleased the Board had the last work session, moved this meeting on a little, however lengthy discussions did occur. With productive work sessions the Board should be able to streamline the length of regular meetings. With respect to Carstens comments re no storage for the rigs that are on their way, all he can say is "shame on the Board." Could have done something sooner to move this along. NELSON commented the Board did what they could; the Board keeps getting walls thrown up by the Borough Assembly and other powers. SP ALINGER said the Board was told that they could piggy back with the designer for the school projects, and the addition would be covered by that designer. Yet the Borough Attorney said that is wasn't legal to do so, so now faced with the delay. Board concurred they have done everything they could to get the addition work done. DOLPH continued, saying they could go back and forth on the past, on I I -l what could and couldn't have been done; the bad part of this is that the Board is sitting in the current position and they would just have to stand up to that. Would like to keep things moving in a reasonable manner knowing full well the process of the Borough. NELSON. Told the Board that Chief Halcomb (USCG Fire Dept.) made the comment to her not to mix the two political entities, so she can't say he would agree to holding the meetings out there. He told her to keep the two separate so as not to raise political issues. She will do what she can to make the meetings at Bayside to keep the two entities separate. In re to staff secretary training, it would be nice to say the Board would cover the entire expense, however that would send a message to other boards that it is okay for them to be lazy and let someone else pick up the slack. Doesn't mind the approved $1000, yet thinks other Boards should "step up to the plate" and show support and responsibility in the education of staff. SPALINGER. None. ADJOURNMENT: There being no further business to discuss it was MOVED, ARNDT and SECONDED, SP ALINGER to adjourn the meeting. The motion CARRIED unanimously and the meeting was adjourned at 8:45 p.m. SUBMITTED BY: Date: ~JI6jD1- . , APPROVED BY: ~~~ Mike Dolph, Chair Fire Protection Area No. 1 Board Date: 1)-/;- '0 7