Loading...
Ochopee FCD Advisory Board Minutes 02/11/2013 2013 Ochopee Fire Control District Advisory Committee Minutes February 11 , 2013 Fp) TROIERW/T9 Ag APR 201 NI OCHOPEE FIRE CONTROL DISTRICT 0 9 2013 ADVISORY COMMITTEE MEETING HELD BY: FEBRUARY 11, 2013 The following were in attendance: Alan McLaughlin, Fire Chief, Ochopee Fire Control District Ronald Gilbert, Chairman, Ochopee Fire Control District Tony Davis, Port of the Islands,Advisory Committee Member Frank Hawkins, Port of the Islands,Advisory Committee Member ROLL CALL OF ATTENDEES: The meeting came to order 4PM. , District 1 j ADDITIONS AND DELETIONS TO AGENDA: District 2 District 3- District 4 -- None District 5 APPROVAL OF AGENDA: A motion was made by Frank Hawkins to approve the agenda as written and it was seconded by Tony Davis. The motion was passed the agenda was approved as written. f APPROVAL OF MINUTES OF REGUAL MEETING OF 1-14-13: The minutes were approved``with a correction on page three the last sentence needed some clarification. AWARDS AND RECOGNITION: Chief McLaughlin — Firefighter Lee Kidder was given an award this morning by the Sheriff's Office. in attendance were Len Price, Dan Summers and myself. The award was for his actions on an incident. He assisted the Sheriff's Deputies in extracting a woman from an alligator invested canal. Tony Davis—He asked if the incident was in our District. Chief McLaughlin—Said yes. Misc.Cones: Date: Page 1 Item#: Copies to: tl • Tony Davis—He asked if maybe the board should write a letter. Chief McLaughlin — We are going to put it in the County News Paper at the end of the year he will get an award for that. REPORTS CHIEF'S REPORT: Chief McLaughlin — The first quarter of the budget we were on track in fact just a little under. The second quarter is starting up and it looks good so far. We have some projects we are working on and so far we have not had any major problems. We have some capital projects we are working on they will be a little under budget the cost is less than anticipated. US Firefighter Line of Duty Deaths for the year of 2013 is two and two deaths in the month of January. OPERATIONS REPORT: I Chief McLaughlin—47 calls for the month of January, 2013,two calls were out of the District on Marco Island. In fact today we had another call on Marco Islandwas a structure fire. We had two fire inspections one was a re-inspection. We had 575 training hours for January. OLD BUSINESS GRANTS: Chief McLaughlin—Our grants are still up to date but we haven't heard anything. FEMA called several times asking for bank information but we haven't heard anything since then. Usually it is a good sign when they ask for banking information but we have not received an official notification. 1-75 STATION: Chief McLaughlin — The 1-75 Station is still moving forward. We haven't had a construction meeting yet. There is a general interest group meeting on the 13th that he cannot make because he has a Certified Public Managers Class but Mr. Summers will be attending that meeting. We are still waiting for a meeting with the construction people so we can go over the plans to see what has or has not been taken out by FDOT. So until that meeting which we thought was going to happen three weeks ago we can't go any further but they are on track with the building project for the whole rest area. Paget ___ Chief McLaughlin—Our station is just a piece of that whole project there was 12 million dollars slated for the project. It was 8 million for the rest area and 4 million for our station. Some cuts have been made to stream line costs so he wants to see the plans to make sure the necessary requirements are still intact. He does know that the helipad is still in and the fuel tanks were put back in as well. Commissioners Nance and Hiller, Dan Summers and Chief McLaughlin are j°' going to fly to Tallahassee in April to meet with the governor in regards to funding the operations of the 1-75 Station. The Secretary of Transportation filed a "Glitch Bill" that says if tors' '— here is any excess revenue we will pay operational fees. They also took out the phrase that refers to paying a government agency which has to be changed back the funds have to be paid to Collier County. There are some problems with what they've done already with the bill. Senator Richter is talking about filing a "Glitch Bill" against the "Glitch Bill" and now we think it is time for the Governor to get involved with this because he will make the ultimate decision regarding this legislation. Ron Gilbert—This is operations funding going forward? Chief McLaughlin—Yes,the funds are for one time cost for equipment and yearly operations for personnel and services on 1-75. They were told that we were not going to fund it. Either they fund it or we don't go any more. We estimated that they get 42 million dollars of toll fees due to the number of cars that travel on the road and tolls paid per vehicle we only need 1.6 million to operate the station. PORT OF THE ISLANDS STATION: Chief McLaughlin — The Collier County Structural personnel had a FEMA issue regarding the building at Port of the Islands. Hank Jones addressed the issue he cleared us. The District's building did not qualify for the new FEMA flood plain there was no way we could flood proof and jack the building up six inches. Everything is clear and we are moving forward. VACANT POSITION ON THE ADVISORY COMMITTEE: Chief McLaughlin — There is still an open position on the Advisory Committee and it is being advertised. It was brought up that maybe Everglades City needs to select another representative. Chief McLaughlin — The Advisory Board would have to write a letter to the County Commissioners in regards to an Advisory Committee Member that is not attending meetings. The County would have to write the letter back to Mayor Hamilton in regards to selecting a new representative because the agreement is with the City of Everglades and the County. That's what happened to the last committee member that was not attending. Page 3 Ron Gilbert—He has some one from Port of the Islands. Chief McLaughlin — Let it run another cycle of advertising and if there is no response then your candidate from Port of the Islands can apply. He said someone on Plantation Island was interested in serving on the Advisory Board but he hasn't heard back from them. Frank Hawkins - He asked are there other citizen organizations or groups in Everglades City other than government. Tony Davis -- They have the typical organizations like the Lyons Club and a Betterment Association. Most of the people that would get involved are fishermen or crabbers you are going to have the same problem they will be working. Chief McLaughlin —You pretty much have to go to Chokoloskee or Plantation someone who is here year round and retired. EVERGLADES CITY AGREEMENT FOR SERVICE: Chief McLaughlin — He found the Everglades City Agreement for Service in the Ochopee Fire Control District files and it happens to be up for renewal December 2013. In 1992 the City of Everglades discontinued their volunteer fire department and contracted with Ochopee Fire Control District for fire protection.The agreement entitled the District to tax Everglades City 4 mils for the coverage. When the agreement is re-written he has requested that the County Attorney make sure that the District, the board, and the Chief are absolved of any statutory responsibility regarding building inspections, fire inspections, and building fire compliance in the City of Everglades. We are in Everglades City for Firefighting services and protective services only that needs to be clearly stated. It also needs to be stated that we have no inspection authority or judiciary authority for building planning so we are absolved from that. He was asked if that includes the hydrant system. Chief McLaughlin — He said no that is not in this agreement it is under NFPA. Whoever owns the water system is responsible for the hydrants. So the City of Everglades is responsible for the hydrants in their area if there is a failure they have to fix it. They are required by law to test the system but we made an agreement with them that we would flow and test the hydrants yearly because they don't have the personnel to do it. At Port of the Islands they send the District a report regarding the flow and testing. Frank Hawkins — He asked if the Chief was creating a new MOU to replace the expiring agreement. Page 4 Chief McLaughlin — He said that the way the County resolution was written we can adopt the new ordinance for another 20 years. Everglades City has to write a new ordinance. Per the Everglades City Clerk the new ordinance has been written but he has not seen a copy of it. When he obtains a copy of the new ordinance he is going to go through it with the County Attorney and make the necessary changes then send it back to Everglades City and their attorney. If Everglades City wants the District to do the inspections they will have to give us the authority to do so. He feels we will have an answer before December. NEW BUSINESS BUDGET AND ORDINANCE AMENDMENT: Chief McLaughlin — The Isles of Capri's Advisory Committee wants to be more involved regarding the budgetary process. One of the new Isles of Capri Advisory Board Members sent out an e-mail asking for facts as to what the Department's problems are and what issues they had regarding the County. He has never received a reply back from the other board members regarding his requests. Since then the new board member went to the County met with the budget department, the assistant at Isles of Capri, and Chief McLaughlin. Len Price suggested they set up a training workshop for the Advisory Board Members in reference to how the County creates the budget. Isles of Capri has requested an ordinance amendment but they haven't heard back from the County Attorney. The ordinance would give the Advisory Committee a direct link to the County Manager. The last decision made by the Isles of Capri Advisory Committee was to stay with the County. If they change Isles of Capri's ordinance they are going to change Ochopee's ordinance the County will want them both the same. When he receives a copy of the final ordinance for Isles of Capri he will e-mail a copy to all the Ochopee Advisory Committee Members for their review because the Ochopee Fire Control District's ordinance will be the same. DISTRICT I: Chief McLaughlin —Chief McLaughlin made a proposal in 2009 to take over the contracted area of District I and now he wants to revisit this idea. District I is a large area and Ochopee Fire Control District covers approximately 70%of it. The contract for District I has been divided four ways three at 29% (Ochopee Fire Control District, Golden Gate Fire District & East Naples Fire District) and 12%for Isles of Capri Fire District. He proposes that we take into the Ochopee Fire Control District the area of District I that we currently protect. We currently get$72,000 out of that contracted area. We used to get $140,000 but property values have decreased. Our District I contracted area is currently taxed at 2mils if taken into the Ochopee Fire Control District it will be taxed at 4mils which means the income received from that area will increase. He would be taking approximately$68,000 instead of$72,000 out of the contracted area. The other three Departments would receive an additional $2,000 each. Page 5 Chief McLaughlin -- He feels it is a win, win situation for everyone we are already protecting it and the other Departments will receive more money. We will be doubling our income from that area. Next meeting he is going to bring the maps and a power point presentation regarding the annexation of District I. If after the presentation the Advisory Committee is in agreement regarding the annexation of District I then Chief McLaughlin is requesting a letter from them stating their support for this project. Ron Gilbert--He stated that Tony Davis was appointed to the CID Board. Chief McLaughlin — He felt that is was a good thing to have someone on the CID Board that is also on the Ochopee Fire Control District Committee. ADJOURNMENT A motion was made to adjourn the meeting by Tony Davis and was seconded by Frank Hawkins the motion passed the meeting ended. jf,:fi edriidat . Ronald Gilbert, Chairman Ochopee Fire Control District Advisory Committee Page 6