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HomeMy WebLinkAbout02/15/2000 Adjourned Meeting 266 CITY OF YAKIMA, WASHINGTON FEBRUARY 15, 2000 ADJOURNED MEETING The City Council met in session on this date at 7:30 a.m., in the 2nd Floor Training Room, at the Police Station /Legal Center, 200 South 3rd Street, Yakima, Washington. Mayor Mary Place, presiding, Council Members Clarence Barnett, John Puccinelli, and Bernard Sims were present. Council Members Henry Beauchamp, Lynn Buchanan, and Larry Mattson were absent and excused. Staff members Dick Zais, City Manager; Glenn Rice, Assistant City Manager; Marketa George Oliver, Administrative Assistant to the City Manager; Helen Harvey, Assistant City Attorney; Al Gillespie, Fire Chief; Gene Martin, Deputy Fire Chief, were present. Also present were Gene O'Dell and Melody Westmoreland, AMR. Mayor Place called the meeting to order at 7:35 a.m. 1. REVIEW OF DEFERRED FIRE DEPARTMENT BUDGET POLICY ISSUES REGARDING EQUIPMENT PROCUREMENT Al Gillespie, Fire Chief, gave a brief overview of some Fire Department policy issues that had been deferred from the 2000 budget discussions. First, he spoke about the rescue vehicle. Gene Martin, Deputy Fire Chief, provided the specifications of the vehicle the Fire Department would like to replace. He said that maintenance on the vehicle was showing wear and tear as if it had 100,000 miles on it, instead of 25,000. The option of using a sports utility vehicle was researched and rejected because it would not meet the needs of the Fire Department as it was not sturdy enough. Staff also considered hauling a trailer, but that did not prove to be feasible. City Manager Zais commented that although the Fire Department does not intend to provide ambulance service, it might be called upon to provide ambulance service in the future in an emergency. Melody Westmoreland, AMR, asked a question about the vehicle, how it would be staffed and in what situations it would be used for response. Chief Gillespie said that the City normally runs a crew of two or three on this vehicle. With the apparatus the Department is proposing, more staff could be transported from scene to scene. Mr. Barnett said that one of the tasks listed for the Committee was reviewing Emergency Medical Response vehicles and he asked what they would be reviewing, if not ambulances. Chief Gillespie responded that it referred in general the Fire Department vehicles. Gene O'Dell, AMR, said the City is in a cash crunch and wondered if any consideration had been given to refurbishing the current unit or • 2 6 7 FEBRUARY 15, 2000 - ADJOURNED MEETING looking at a unit more economically priced. Mr. Martin indicated that the specifications were revised after the policy issue was written. Discussion ensued about the Department's intended use for the ambulance, the Fire Department's current and future functions and vision, and its responsibility to the former Fruitvale Fire District area from which the ambulance was inherited. Gene O'Dell said that City Manager Zais had alluded to insurance rating and asked if it was staffing or equipment that is needed to raise the rating. Chief Gillespie said it is a combination of the two and described a national standard that is gradually coming into existance. • Mayor Place asked if there were other questions about the vehicle purchase. Council Member ,Sims asked when Council would make a decision. City Manager Zais said it could be scheduled on the Council agenda any time, however, there were three Council Members not present and they would want a chance to ask questions and receive a briefing. Further, if it is the decision of the Council not to replace the vehicle, the Fire Department would need to show the Council how staff would be re- deployed. Council Member Sims said that to him, it looks like a service is being expanded. He also stated he thinks it is a good idea to not necessarily deploy a Fire truck on every call, considering the majority of calls are medical in nature. 2. FIRE DEPARTMENT'S CITIZEN ADVISORY GROUP \. Chief Gillespie discussed the composition of the Citizens Advisory Group. He said the Fire Department's intent was for the group to help the Department to plan for future operations and make recommendations to Council. City Manager Zais said the people on the Committee to date are primarily volunteers as opposed to people being selected by Fire staff or Council. Ms. Westmoreland said she felt as if the members were handpicked and by handpicking a group, it was unlikely that City staff would truly receive an objective group. Council Member Puccinelli pointed out a few names on the list that he thought were very independent thinkers. Mr. Zais emphasized that the Committee is not limited to who is on the list and anyone is welcome to serve. Mayor Place said she would really like to see someone from the ambulance company on the Committee. Council Member Barnett said that many of the objectives listed for the group are really Council policy issues, such as determining Fire Station location, service provision, etc. He said the focus of the Committee is too broad and gets into areas that should be left to Council or staff. Mr. Zais said it was not the intent for the Committee to be vested with any Council authority. Council Member Puccinelli said agreed with Mr. Barnett, saying it could be misleading to the members of the Committee. Mr. Zais said the intent of the Committee was to advise and recommend and the wording could be reworked to reflect Council's concerns. 2 266 FEBRUARY 15, 2000 - ADJOURNED MEETING Council Member Puccinelli said he would like to see a sunset on this Committee. Chief Gillespie said that staff's intent was to convene the Committee for one year. Ms. Westmoreland asked who was going to facilitate the Committee. Mr. Gillespie said he was planning to do that and had been a facilitator in the past. He said he and his staff would present as much information as possible to enable good, objective decisions and recommendations. Mr. Zais said the Committee was planning to meet on Wednesday and suggested the Committee's first meeting be delayed until staff could visit with the Public Safety Committee about it. Mayor Place asked Chief Gillespie if he understood the direction of the Council clearly. Chief. Gillespie said he would postpone the meeting, revise the report and bring it back to the Public Safety Committee. She then asked what the pleasure of the Council is with regard to the vehicle issue. It was agreed that the issue would be brought back after the three absent Council Members could review it. Mayor Place adjourned the meeting at 8:33 a.m. READ AND CERTIFIED ACCURATE BY: y ,,r 1.r1 ?/ `.1 7 l/ sUNCIL MEMB ■ • D• E Ate, Atz, ' r 0 Z' 0 COUNCIL MEM:ER DA E ATTEST: 7 /a/( City Clerk ry Place, Mayor Minutes prepared by Marketa George Oliver. An audio and video tape of this meeting are available in the City Clerk's Office 1 3