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Home My WebLink About09/02/2008 04A Draft Minutes 07-22-2008 Adjourned Meeting - Public Hearing on EMSYAKIMA CITY COUNCIL ADJOURNED MEETING - PUBLIC HEARING ON PROPOSED EMERGENCY MEDICAL SERVICES LEVY J U LY 221 20087:00 P. M. COUNCIL CHAMBERS — YAKIMA CITY HALL 1. Roll Call Present: Council: Mayor Edler, presiding, Assistant Mayor Micah Cawley, Council Members Kathy Coffey, Rick Ensey, Norm Johnson, Bill Lover and Neil McClure Staff: City Manager Zais, Sr. Assistant City Attorney Cutter, and City Clerk Moore Mayor Edler called the meeting to order at 7:00 p.m. Fire Chief Charlie Hines described his 34 years experience in fire service, 13 as a paramedic, and service on committees and focus groups for the state of California setting policy on EMS. He then gave a short presentation outlining the EMS levy: The demand for service is outpacing our budget resources. Response times are getting longer. We are ill- prepared to.handle even relatively minor emergencies with an inability to administer emergency medical care beyond the basic level. The goals of the EMS levy are to hire additional firefighters and communications personnel and implement five paramedic engine companies by certifying 18 cross- trained, dual -role firefighter paramedics. One funding option is passing an ongoing city EMS levy. An ongoing levy will sustain future needs and avoid voter confusion in 2012 where, otherwise, there could be two elections on the same issue. It would also save the cost of an additional election. Another option is to pass a limited term EMS levy that would have to be renewed in three years, just when it is gaining traction. Because of the required training period for paramedics, he feels the three -year levy is risky. The last option is to do nothing. That would embrace the fact we are not providing an adequate level of service and ignore the opinion of experts in the industry. Chief Hines reviewed the levy fact sheet information and commented that Yakima would not be the first, or only, city to have a $0.50 levy. Spokane, Benton County, and Walla Walla already do. He then spoke in detail about each of the levy goals. He responded to the feedback he has received about the issue moving too fast. One suggestion could be to have a special stand -alone ballot in the spring. He reviewed the risks associated with that delay. He advised that the firefighters have established a political action committee and are ready to put in their efforts, and their own dollars, to support the levy to take better care of their citizens. �J 2. PUBLIC HEARING — EMS LEVY JULY 22, 2008 • Opened for Council Questions What percent of calls is EMS related? 80% are medical emergencies. How would additional engine companies help our overall response time beyond just EMS? Currently, a fire engine is not always available. If it is already on another call it necessitates a fire station further away to respond. By putting additional engine companies in service in our busiest areas, it will back up those calls. What about the cost of supplies required for medical response, where will it come from? That is part of the planning for the EMS levy funds. How does the command work with multiple paramedics? It doesn't matter what color uniform or how they get there, the first paramedic on site is in charge of the patient When the patient is transported, the transporting paramedic is in charge. If it is a critical patient, both paramedics go in the transport. Is it less expensive to share an election with other things? Yes. What is the difference in cost between the November and March elections? That information will be researched. If it states that there will be no transport involved for the length of the levy, can a later council change that? Probably not because the citizens voted on the levy as stated on the ballot. It would take another vote of the citizens to change it. 0 What is the difference between an EMT and paramedic? Every firefighter is an EMT. It requires a couple hundred hours of training and they cannot do anything invasive (IV's, airway tubes, medications). Becoming a paramedic requires a year -long school. Are paramedics in short supply throughout the U.S.? There are a number of paramedic schools in Washington and an abundance of paramedics. Typically they get their foot in the door with the ambulance job and then go on to fire fighting or into the medical field. If we send them to paramedic school, we would have them sign a contract for a certain period of time or they would have to reimburse the cost of schooling. Public Hearing on proposed Emergency Medical Services Levy • Mayor Edler opened the public hearing Randy Raschko, a firefighter and president of the Firefighters Association, said the union publicly supports the levy and will help with the campaign through manpower and their own money. They are committed to work with the city, the ambulance companies, and the medical community to make sure the program functions well. 0 2 PUBLIC HEARING — EMS LEVY JULY 22, 2008 ® Mike Hoon, said that although he supports EMS he would like to slow down the levy process and study it more. Gerry Foy and Herman Fischer spoke in support of the levy and on making it permanent. Bob Hall, representing his own business and the industry of the automobile dealers of Yakima, expressed concern with the speed the issue is moving. He submitted fourteen questions he would like researched and answered. Cody Burton spoke from his experiences having worked for both the Fire Department and ALS Ambulance. He said when you are the only paramedic on site, it is very difficult not having somebody to bounce ideas off in stressful situations. He worked at the ambulance company for six months at $11 an hour then decided that was not a good career and moved on to the fire department. Rod Chandler, General Manager for American Medical Response, expressed appreciation for allowing them to continue all transports. He spoke in support of having two paramedics and said his crews support it. It will save lives. Richard Carmody, a retired teacher, and Delbert Miles, a local businessman, spoke in support of the levy and encouraged Council to let the public vote on it as soon as possible. Many fire and communication employees (Brandon Dorenbush, Bruce Drollinger, Lisa Campanelli, Beau Watson, Pete Duffy, Ron Johnson, Mike Trujillo, and Ron Melcher) came forward in support and shared specific experiences. Jeff Brown, a previous employee who now works on the west side as a paramedic, drove to Yakima to give support. Charlie Eglin said he didn't know about this issue until last week and would like more time to verify the information before it goes before the citizens of Yakima. William "Woody" Woodcock, president of Advanced Life Systems, said that, although he is not against it, he has many questions. He commented that a paramedic program is a huge and expensive undertaking. Currently the paramedic service that is being offered to the public is at no cost to the taxpayer. Only the people that use the service pay for it. It was his opinion that there is a public/private partnership that is working extremely well right now. Gene O'dell, one of the founders of ALS Ambulance, claimed this would duplicate the system we have and it will cost the taxpayer. • Mayor Edler closed the public hearing McCLURE MOVED AND EDLER SECONDED TO HAVE LEGISLATION PREPARED FOR THE AUGUST 5, 2008 COUNCIL MEETING TO PUT THE ITEM ON THE NOVEMBER BALLOT. Following Council comments; the question was called for a vote on the motion. The motion failed by a 5 -2 roll call vote; Edler and McClure voting yes. 3 PUBLIC HEARING — EMS LEVY JULY 22, 2008 JOHNSON MOVED AND COFFEY SECONDED TO HAVE LEGISLATION PREPARED TO PUT THE ITEM ON THE MARCH BALLOT. The motion failed by a 4 -3 vote, Ensey, Edler, McClure and Cawley voting nay. 3. Adjoumment CAWLEY MOVED AND ENSEY SCONDED TO ADJOURN. The motion carried by unanimous voice vote. The meeting adjourned at 9:40 a.m. READ AND CERTIFIED ACCURATE BY ATTEST: CITY CLERK COUNCIL MEMBER DATE COUNCIL MEMBER DATE 4 DAVID EDLER, MAYOR is EIH