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Ochopee FCD Advisory Board Minutes 01/12/2015 OCHOPEE FIRE CONTROL DISTRICT dOt4 ADVISORY COMMITTEE MEETING FEB 4 I JANUARY 12, 2015 31, Z _ By CALL TO ORDER: The meeting was called to order by the Chairman of the Ochopee Advisory Committee Anthony Davis. Roll Call of Attendees: Alan McLaughlin, Fire Chief, Ochopee Fire Control District Anthony Davis, Chairman of the Advisory Committee, Port of the Islands Ron Gilbert, Advisory Committee Member, Port of the Islands James Morris,Advisory Committee Member, Port of the Islands Dan Summers, Emergency Services Director Len Price,Administrative Services Division Administrator Peter Seelfrank ADDITIONS AND DELETIONS TO AGENDA None Approval of Agenda A motion was made to approve the agenda it was seconded and passed. Approval of Minutes of Regular Meeting of January 12, 2015 A motion was made to approve the minutes of the January 12, 2015 meeting it was seconded and passed. REPORTS: Budget Alan McLaughlin —The budget is still on track for the first quarter. We are starting into our second quarter and everything looks good so far. Page 1 Line of Duty Deaths Alan McLaughlin—The US Firefighter line of duty deaths for the year of 2014 was 79 and there have been 6 in the month of December 2014. The deaths for 2014 are down from 2013 which had a total of 107. Awards and Recognitions Certifications Alan McLaughlin - Our Administrative Assistant Linda Swisher has been nominated for employee of the year. She was nominated for employee of the month in November and now she has been nominated for employee of the year. He is very proud of the recognition. She will be awarded her plaque at the BCC meeting tomorrow 1-13-15 and he invited the committee members to attend. Operations Report Chief McLaughlin—There were 58 calls for the month of December 2014 and are total for the year was 657 which is up from last year's total of 558. He feels the increase is due to the opening of the 1-75 station they are getting walk in patients. Also there has been a 4% increase of calls in Everglades City as well. The call volume is up because more people are traveling. We have increased by 80 calls a year other agencies are also seeing increases. There were two calls out of the District to Marco Island. There were no boat rescue or boat fire calls. No Fire Investigations or Fire Inspections and he did not receive a Fire Inspection Report from the Greater Naples Fire District. OLD BUSINESS 1-75 Station Alan McLaughlin -The call volume is increasing people are seeing the signs and are pulling into the station. We have had an increase in vehicle accidents and fires in the last two months. Vacant Position on the Advisory Committee Alan McLaughlin - We still have a vacant position on the Advisory Committee. He has spoken to the Mayor who is looking to replace the current Everglades City Advisory Committee member with someone who will be able to attend the meetings. Page 2 Locution System Alan McLaughlin—The locution system is up and running at station 60. The Sheriff's Departments IT personnel and Communications International came out to work on the system. They will be working on getting the locution system up and running at the other stations and Isle of Capri. Call Back Staffing Alan McLaughlin—Call Back Staffing is working well for us he is going to expand it to Isle of Capri. The program tracks our personnel's leave time and work schedule. Tony Davis—The lease for the rental truck from Brindle Mountain was to expire in January or February of 2015 has the new truck been delivered? Alan McLaughlin - He is planning to go the 19th and 20th of February 2015 to Ocala for a final inspection of the new vehicles. The contract runs out that week so we would put the Pumper in service at the 1-75 station for the last two weeks that the vehicles will be at Hallmark. FEMA Grant for Smoke Removal Station 60 Alan McLaughlin—The FEMA Grant has been submitted for approval. NEW BUSINESS Len Price& Dan Summers' presentation BCC Meeting 12-9-14 regarding the proposal of consolidating MSTUs Len Price—At the Board of County Commissioners Meeting on 12-9-14 direction was given to put together a request for proposal from the dependant and independent Fire Districts to take over fire services for Collier County's four fire districts. She explained the three independent Fire Districts and Ochopee Fire Control District would receive the request for a proposal. That would be Immokalee Fire District, Greater Naples Fire District, North Naples Fire District and Ochopee Fire Control District. There will be no requests from any of the Cities. She passed out her request proposal to the committee members for their review. The proposals will have to meet all of the requirements in the request. She went over the request for services document for the Advisory Committee. The request will be in the form of a letter from our Purchasing Department and it will go out to the three Independent Districts and one will go to Dan Summers for Ochopee Fire Control District. The Board of County Commissioners limited the proposal to the Independent and dependant Fire Districts. Page 3 Ron Gilbert- He asked is part of the proposal to leave things as they are. Len Price—No, something is going to change. If we retain it ourselves our proposal will be to consolidate the four districts that we currently have. They don't want to have four separate districts they want to see that consolidated. We have been operating as a consolidated unit administratively even though the budgets are separate. Ron Gilbert-You are talking about changing reporting structure. Alan McLaughlin -Well that and cost centers we have four cost centers now which collect revenue at four different rates. They want to see some sort of consolidated system with a reduction of cost centers that would also be a reduction of internal services. Right now we do payroll twice we are charged by Finance per transaction he feels 50%of that could be reduced by consolidating services by making one cost center. Len Price—She continued to go over the request for services document in regards to what actions would be required for the transitional period. Any actions taken would have to be agreed upon by Everglades City because they are a municipality. If an outside organization manages the dependant districts they would still have to be accountable to Collier County there has to be coordination between the two entities including record keeping. For the next several years the dependant districts would still belong to the County even if they are managed by an outside organization. Ron Gilbert—Is your proposal going to address millage rates. Len Price—It has to. Ron Gilbert—He commented that we have the highest millage rate in Collier County. Len Price—If you look at the second page we have identified the millage rates. Ron Gilbert—I would rather our level of service stay the same and keep the millage rate at what we have now than lower the millage rate and reduce our services. Alan McLaughlin- He understands. Len Price—That is the direction the board gave them as well the worst would be the service would stay the same for a better price or better service for same money. Ron Gilbert- If we consolidate it wouldn't be fair if we are at four and the other Districts have a lower millage rate. Page 4 Alan McLaughlin—No it won't you are absolutely right. Dan Summers—The board is looking for some cost efficiencies. Ron Gilbert-Will your proposal address pilt money how it is generated and administered? Len Price—She is not sure because they have not developed their proposal yet. She does not know what it will include. Ron Gilbert- Please keep in mind when you make the proposal that if it wasn't for the Ochopee Fire Control District there wouldn't be any pilt money. Len Price— Understood. Alan McLaughlin -The issue we have with pilt right now is there is no guarantee that it will be here from year to year. As a manager he does not want to be in a position where he has to depend on pilt funds. Ron Gilbert—You don't want to make a projected budget based on pilt money when it is not guaranteed. Alan McLaughlin -Yes, he feels that would be very poor long range planning on something that may not be there. An example is a 6,000,000 fire station in Golden Gate that was based on the premises the bottom would never fall out and they are just now paying on it. The expectation was the money was always going to be there he does not want to place himself in that situation. Ron Gilbert—We have had some relief with the 1-75 station. Alan McLaughlin—It has helped tremendously our fuel costs are down. Len Price—She continued with the request for service document regarding County property reporting to the County Manager and how they will handle management of the employees. Ron Gilbert—he asked who is going to put our proposal together, is it going to be Len Price is any one from the Advisory Board or is the Chief going to be involved? Len Price—The County's proposal will be written by Dan Summers and Alan McLaughlin with input from both of the Advisory Committees. Page 5 Ron Gilbert-You will need Mayor Hamilton's input as well. Len Price-Any proposal that comes in will have to state how they are going to coordinate with the City of Everglades. She wants the Advisory Committee to review the document and make sure she has not left out anything. Tony Davis—He asked Dan Summers, Len Price and Alan McLaughlin if they need to have a work shop or meet with them regarding the proposal. Dan Summers—The proposal will be based on the request for services requirements. Ron Gilbert—He does not want to be intimately involved he feels that would be a hindrance to the process. But he would like to help in any way that he can such as gathering information or sitting on a branch committee. Tony Davis—He feels that if feedback from the community is needed the Advisory Committee could become involved in that process. Dan Summers—He would welcome that feedback from them. He thinks it is important that the Advisory Boards come in on the proposal and come into the board on the proposal it is what they are chartered to do. Tony Davis—Keep in mind we are here to help. Len Price—The time line on this is extremely tentative she feels this is very important and has to be done right. James Morris—He felt it won't be an easy task because some of the district's millage rates are going up and some are going down. PUBLIC COMMENT Peter Seelfrank—He commented regarding a zoning violation involving the removal of a table and chairs in the hallway at Port of the Islands. He had not heard back from the Fire Chief or any one in regards to this situation. He stated that the table and chairs are still out in the hall. Page 6 Ron Gilbert—He asked if the table and chairs were in the way of Fire or Emergency Medical access to his door. Peter Seelfrank—His comment was that they are not in front of his door they are on the walk way. Alan McLaughlin—The conversation was if it was a violation we would follow through. The Kehlimeiers did not believe it was an egress. He researched the documents regarding the building and the breeze way between Mr. Seelfrank's condo and the Kehlimeier's was not designated as an egress. Since it was not a point of egress then the condominium rule would apply and that it was up to the condo association to up hold the rule that is why he did not hear back from him. Mr. Carr who is the manager of the condo association was notified of the fact that it was up to the condo association and that is was not the jurisdiction of the fire department. Peter Seelfrank—He is concerned that he has not been able to remedy this situation and now Mrs. Kehlimeiers is the president of the condo association so he feels he cannot solve the problem with them. He has health problems and if he needs an ambulance if they take the wrong walk way they may have problems getting to his condo because of the table and chairs are between the two condos. Tony Davis—We are all empathetic with your health situation. As far as what the Fire District and what the board can do for you the Chief has pointed out from the legal stand point and fire codes there is nothing wrong with what is going on the issue is John Carr is not doing his job it does not matter who the president of the Association is the association documents rule. John Carr needs to sit down with Katherine Kehlimeir if she is.the president and point out that per the condo documents this is wrong. John Carr is supposed to be directing the president of the board to follow the documents which are legal and binding. The property manager and the board are supposed to enforce the condominium rules. He suggested that Mr. Seelfrank file a complaint with the State that the condo documents are being violated and complain to John Carr to correct that situation he is getting paid to run your condo association. Alan McLaughlin —Those items are movable so fire and medical assistance will not be affected they will just move the table and chairs out of the way. Tony Davis—Confirmed that he has seen it done they will move the items out of the way to get to the patient. Ron Gilbert—Agreed that Mr. Seelfrank's problem is that his condo association rules and regulations are being violated and not a Fire District problem. Page 7 Alan McLaughlin—He assured Mr.Seelfrank that there would be no delays in fire response or medical treatment due to the table and chairs they would get to his condo unit. Dan Summers—Gave Mr.Seelfrank his card to make sure he is registered in the Emergency Management assistance program for disaster and suggested entering some of his medical history into the smart 911 system so if he has to dial 911 his medical history will be immediately available to dispatch. Len Price—Suggested they could make a note in the system as to which door is Mr. Seelfranks. Dan Summers—Suggested he call him or e-mail him so he can access the smart 917.system. Peter Seelfrank—Thanked everyone for listening to his problem and especially to Chief McLaughlin for all of his help. ADJOURNMENT A motion was made to adjourn it was seconded and the meeting ended. .. 4/1/;,Werl' Anth ' y Davis Chairman Ochop ue-Control District Advisory Committee Page 8