HomeMy WebLinkAboutEmergency Services Committee Minutes 11.25.2002 MINUTES
EMERGENCY SERVICES COMMITTEE
NOVEMBER 25, 2002 5:30 P.M.
COUNCIL CHAMBERS
MEMBERS PRESENT:
Lauren Van Roekel
Jan Faught
Dan Mears
Ken Olson
Mike Zuhoski
Bill Brennan
Pat Kimmet
Ambulance Service Report
Care 1 has been repaired. It has six new tires and needs alignment. Rapid Tire will try to do
this. Four ambulance crewmembers recently attended a conference. Staff from Myhre &
Atwood has met with ambulance crew about needs in regards to building space, etc. Jan learned
of the creamery building being vacant. She spoke with the owner, and it has been leased for
$2,500 a month. The asking sale price is $140,000. The building is 7,500 square feet. Jan
shared that the space seems like a possibility for the ambulance department.
Action step: Ken suggested that Jan bring this up in the department head meeting.
Police Department Report
Mike said that we are down a patrol car, and it is in the shop for estimates at this time. They
have been visiting with MMIA in regards to updating the policies for the department. Rick and
Mike will be working on the updates.
There was discussion about the terror response plan that has been sent out. This plan came out
of the FBI roundtable that was held on October 2ha. Mike plans to be part of a meeting on
Tuesday where hopefully more information can be learned so there can be a better understanding
of our part in the plan. The Cenex refinery people meet next week with Chuck Maxwell.
Homeland Security is/will probably be guiding and directing what the State, the county, and
cities need to do in regards to a terror/response plan.
Rick and Mike have a meeting next week with DEA. There have been two officers to homicide
school, which is a 40-hour course. Last week, Travis attended forfeiture school.
Progress continues with the motorcycle. When Rick was in Minneapolis, he obtained additional
information in reference to motorcycle setup, etc.
Rick goes east in January. He has been accepted to the FBI Academy for training. Rick's
participation in this will be a huge benefit for Laurel. Rick leaves January 8th. The training is for
ten weeks, to the end of March.
Fire Department Report
There was not a frre department report.
Feline Subcommittee
Lauren passed out copies of information that had been prepared by Dan Dart regarding dogs and
cats from a recent City of Billings newsletter. Also, Dan had attached the summary of the
subcommittee report and recommendations. A copy of the in_formation is attached to these
minutes.
Action step: We should read and review this information for discussion at the next Emergency
Services Committee meeting.
December meeting
December meeting: With the holidays, the regularly scheduled meeting will not be held. Next
planned meeting will be in January.
The meeting adjourned at 6:15 p.m.
Respectfully submitted,
Co-Chairman
JAN-15-888~ 10:~0 FROM:YSGR CBS
40~-256-7026
T0:406 628 2841
P. 00~x004
Emergency Services Committee Feline Subcommittc
Reoort and Re, commendation "-
The subcommittee has discussed numerous options and potemial action iteam over the
pa~t five months. It has become apparent fi.at without adequate anir~ conlxol funding
sources to address feline related issues, thc City of Lanrel is not in a financlal position to
address these issues. The Animal Wcllhre League has indicated that they would provide
live traps for cats to citizens that ar~ experiencing cat related impacts on their property.
Fimmclal an'angements as well as the handling of trapped cat~ are an arrangement
between the private citizen and the Animal Welfare League. The City of Laurel i~ not
party to the arrangr, m~nt.
Although eats constitute a very small p~centage cf monthly animal complaints filed with
the City of Laurel Police Department, we believe that ~ome cats do impact pmpecty
owners and their right to not have the aninml on their property.
Cumenfly, there am approximately 12 cats that feed om of the dumpster bekind Burger
~ Them ar~ approxlmnt~ly 7 cats that feed in thc dmnpster behind Hardees. Some
other eat, have been seen in the alley offer Main Street behind the Cheerio but it could
not be determined ifthcy an, pets or strays. It tins been discovered that some local
rasidems have haen pulling out food for the cats behind Burger King. It has been
suggested by the .Animal Wclfat~ League that tbe eats are living in the vicinity of Fox
Lumber and come in at night to feed. These wild cats do not impact Laurel ut this time
but tha subcommittee thought it prudent that the Em~y Services Committee know of
these wild cats in ease thcre is an outbreak of rabies in the area. For sum, if rabies
appea~, some agency or governmental entity may be put in a position of apprchunding
these wild cats.
The subcommittee recommends that the Emergency Services Committec consider
advancing a licensing opportunity for cats to the Laurel City Council. Even though it may
be argued that it would be neet impossible m enlbme a cat licensing law as cats am so
elusive and catching them to check a license would be difficult, we believe that by
licensing, eats, it confimas an owner's social responsibility toward their cat(s) and their
The subcommittee believes that Chapter 6.08 of the City Laurel Municipal Code should
include cats. Thc fcc/hr licensing cats could mlmar thc fees for dogs unless thc
Emerger~cy Services Committee determines that the fees are not Ltl llnc with I~.~ charged
by surrounding Commuultie~ (see Billings fee attachment). Tbey include:
JAN-15-E~O~ 10:50 FROM:YSGR CBS 406-~56-70~6 T0:406 6~8 ~41 P.004x004
A. A license fe~ of five doll~r~ for neutered male cat oz dog and spayed female cat or
dog and a license 'fee often dollars shall be paid for each tmsprayed re, male cat or
dog and uuneute~d eat or dog.
B. When any cat or dog owner fai/s or delays to obtain a liceoze prior to April Is~ of
each year the license fcc shall be doubled.
Thc 811bcomm~ also r0~oii~ui¢12~ that a spay/neuter verification in addition to a rabies
vacoimitioa ccxtific~te be presented to the City of Laurel when applying for a cat or dog
license. Clh-iva~ly, all applicant must only presont a rabies certificate for a dog.
In that tho City of Laurel is growing in popnlation and will continue to grow, thc
~ubcommktee believes that there must be a level of proration afforded private property
owners when a pet owner continuously allows their onimaJ to impede on their neighbor's
property rights. As thc population continues ~o grow, more lffCOly th~n nOt, funding will
have to ' .
increase to ofiget the number of small un/mai con/~l rd~ted compla/nts handled
by the City of Lanrel Police D~artmant. ~ of cev. r~ is fumm specv/a6on,
Licensing of cam is a step in the dire~iou of an/mai control undartakcn by other
communi~/cs in Montmm. We think it prudent to be proactive and begin to in some
.fa~hian, hold our citizc~ accountable to the actions of lheh' ca~s in our community
instead of wailing for the problem to escalate with futura growth in our community.
406-~S6-70~6
T0:406 628 2241
P.00~/004
,. I