HomeMy WebLinkAboutEmergency Services Committee Minutes 04.26.2010 MINUTES
EMERGENCY SERVICES COMMITTEE
APRIL 26, 2010 5:30 P.M.
COUNCIL CHAMBERS
Members Present: Doug Poehls Chuck Dickerson
Clete Knaub
Others Present: Derek Yeager
Laurel Fire -EMS Authority
Derek addressed the committee regarding making a decision to continue down the current path of
the Fire -EMS Authority or to re- evaluate another option. The issue is the three fire districts can
consolidate; however, for the City of Laurel to petition into the newly consolidated district as
planned, a petition of greater than 40% (60 %preferred or 4,080 people roughly) of the city
residents must be completed and allowed a public hearing time in order to have the city annexed
by the consolidated district.
He said it may be questionable if we could get 4,080 signatures. The people would want to know
if their city taxes would decrease. The fire department would not be in the city's general fund.
The general fund may not decrease by much because of a combination of other city expenses.
Therefore, the people may think they are not seeing a tax decrease. With a separate fire
department, the city residents would see an additional tax line item on their city taxes for fire
services. They would expect to see a washout with a decrease in city taxes and the additional tax
line for fire services. Therefore, it would be questionable if they believed their city taxes would
decrease and if the city could get enough signatures on a petition.
Derek presented four options to the committee:
Option 1: We continue with the current plan to consolidate the 3 fire districts knowing that
it will take some time to gather the necessary signatures to have the city annexed
into the consolidated district.
Option 2: We re- evaluate and consider forming a brand new district in the same regard as in
#1.
Option 3: We consolidate the 3 rural districts and form an inter -local agreement to jointly
fund and operate the department similar to other areas.
Option 4: We leave things at the current levels until more opportune times arise.
The committee discussed option #3 where the three rural fire districts would be a fire department
with county funding and the city would continue with a city fire department. The two would
have an inter -local agreement to jointly fund and operate the department. The rural fire districts
wouldn't have the larger fire trucks or equipment and with the agreement the rural and city
departments would share equipment and work together. There would be two fire chiefs and two
different budgets. The funding would be separate. Derek said the city has the means to do this.
An inter -local agreement can prove that the districts and city can work well together and it could
work into consolidation in the future.
Doug suggested giving Derek the task to pursue Option #3 to consolidate the rural districts and
form an inter -local agreement. He asked Derek to get suggestions from the fire districts to go
ahead with this option. This option would get us closer to the original plan.
County Wide Mock Disaster
Clete Knaub shared with the committee the county -wide mock disaster that is scheduled on
Wednesday, May 5 at CHS. It will include all emergency services. He asked that the Police
Chief and Fire Chief come back to brief the committee on the major accident that will take place
during the mock disaster.
HELP Flight Helicopter
Derek stated that a central meeting spot is needed in Laurel as an intercept landing for the HELP
flight and ambulances serving Laurel and surrounding areas. It is a matter of importance to
locate an intercept landing for the flight helicopter so the pilots and ambulance attendants are
aware of the location to intercept patients.
Respectfully submitted,
Neva Hall
Secretary