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HomeMy WebLinkAboutMN-BFC-1993-06-08 A MINUTES: Board of Fire Commissioners, Regular meeting, held on June 8, 1993 . PRESENT: Commissioners Lyman Baker, Joseph Bargher, Stewart Grinnell, Clayton Hamilton, were present. Commissioner Susan Begg was absent. Other officials present were Alderwoman Barbara Blanchard, Deputy Chief Thomas Dorman and Deputy Chief Brian Wilbur. 1 . The meeting was called to order at 1905 hrs . by Chairman Lyman Baker. 2 . Chairman Baker asked for additions/deletions to the agenda. Two items were added: - By Commissioner Bargher - a request for a discussion on badges for past Fire Commissioners - enter as item 6 a. - Additional request for Executive Session - discussion on personnel under item 15. 3. Chairman Baker opened floor to persons wishing to speak to Board of Fire Commissioners . - Lyle Neigh read prepared comments regarding staffing shortages, the lack of staff, concerns about the capability of bunkers, and the need for recruiting resident volunteers . He encouraged the Board of Fire Commissioners to actively support the budget that is approved by them and a copy of his comments will be attached for the record. 4 . The audit as submitted by Department staff was reviewed and approved by the Commission. 5. There were no membership changes presented for action this month. 6 . Fire Commissioners Awards - there was no report available on the pending awards for 1992 . - Commissioner Bargher asked about the status of the past Commissioners badges for Commissioners Cornelius and Neigh. D.C. Wilbur reported that this had been provided for by Chief Olmstead and was in the process and would be available for presentation soon. 7 . The Board officially welcomed the Fire Chief appointee - Deputy Chief Brian Wilbur has been appointed and ratified by the Mayor and Common Council to be the new Fire Chief of the Ithaca Fire Department effective July 1, 1993 . • Minutes June 8, 1993 Page y,2 8. ,Commissioner Grinnell reported on the meeting held with Shirley Raffensperger held last week concerning issues related to the contract and the staffing of the Fire Department and indicated that the ground work had been laid ,to initiate the negotiations on a contract to replace the contract between the City and Town of Ithaca that will expire in 1994 . Deputy Chief Wilbur will report back to the Commission at their next regularly scheduled meeting concerning the structure that might be used for discussions on this. 9 . Regarding the master planning regional training programs which were tabled from the March and April meetings - no action has been taken - Commissioner Hamilton will provide information he was referring to to D.C. Wilbur for follow- up regarding regionalized training centers and work that had been done in that area in other locations . 10 . Chairman Baker asked for status on the Charles Weaver Memorial to be provided by the Fire Commission - there was no report available at the time as Volunteer Coord. Lynch is out of town. D.C. Wilbur will get an updated status and will include a written report as supplemental to these minutes for the Commission. As regards an appropriate thank you to outgoing Fire Chief Edward Olmstead, Commission discussed presenting an appropriate thank you at the upcoming awards ceremony to be held at the July Common Council meeting. Commissioners Baker & Bargher will draft the text of the thank you resolution that will be the basis for the presentation. 11 . Committee Reports: - Commissioner Grinnell reported for the Budget & Finance Committee that they had met with D. C. Wilbur and had talked in general terms about the role of that Committee in supporting the Fire Dept. staff and managing the budget & financial aspects of the department as well as in developing the future operating and capital budgets. Stewart also referenced a thought concerning asking Assistant City Attorney Pat Kennedy to attend a meeting of the Board to engage in discussion of the roles and authorities of the Board at a future meeting. It was suggested that a letter had already been prepared by City Attorney Chuck Guttman be reviewed by the Board and Chief Wilbur first and then further action could be taken. - Commissioner Bargher reported on the Personnel and Staffing Committee indicating that they would be meeting • Minutes June 8, 1993 Page, 3 June 29th to address a number of issues that have been taken on by that Committee and Chairman Baker noted that he would make the proper notifications to the media and City Clerk for the meeting that is to occur on the 29th. - The Training and Volunteer Committee will be meeting 1800 hrs . , the Personnel and Staffing Committee will be meeting at 1900 hrs. on that date. - Commissioner Baker reported on the Buildings & Equipment Committee. He indicated that other than the fact that apparatus specs were in progress there was no other report at this time. - Commissioner Grinnell asked about the Space Needs Study and after a brief discussion it was agreed that the Space Needs Study should be referred to Fire Department staff for their review and recommendations before any other action was taken. - The Training and Volunteer Committee report by Commissioner Bargher is the same as Personnel and Staffing and that these committees will be meeting June 29th and will have a report at the July meeting. It was moved and seconded that all reports be accepted and actions taken be approved. This was carried. 12 . A donation from C.U. Life Safety Services was received in the amount of $500 with a letter from Barton Ingersoll . A motion was made by Commissioner Bargher to accept the donation and send a letter of acknowledgement and thank you from the Board. Seconded by Clayton Hamilton and carried. 13. A request for approval to expend $36 for soda for the Landmark Square fire May 29, 1993 was received and approved. It was noted that we have taken one of the refrigerators that was originally purchased for the bunker program at Central and was in the upstairs kitchen, has been moved to the laundry room for now and stocked with soda and ice to be on hand for future fires and that Tops Markets had made a donation of soda to supply the initial stock for the program. 14 . Chief 's Report: - D.C. Wilbur reported that he was still reviewing the proposals for medical examinations for firefighters, specifically looking for information related to a component that had not been included previously which were the exams • Minutes June 5, 1993 Page 4 and record keeping necessary for hazardous materials technicians . - On a motion of Comm. Grinnell, the Board authorized D.C. ,Wilbur to select either Guthrie Clinic or Convenient Care Center to perform the physicals based upon his analysis of the final information to come in. - D.C. Wilbur next reported on the status of the Board Clerk' s position. A draft job description for Clerk of the Board was distributed for review by the Board and D.C. Wilbur suggested they proceed with the concept of advertising for the position based on the job description looking for a contracted amount to do the work. There were suggestions of posting the notice at C.U. , I .C. , BOCES, City of Ithaca Personnel, Displaced Homemakers, and similar locations as a way of making people aware of the job. A motion by Comm. Hamilton, seconded by Comm. Grinnell to permit D.C. Wilbur to proceed with the Board Clerk's position with assistance from the Personnel Staffing Committee was carried. A discussion was held about reimbursing Gail Porter for her travel expenses as a way of indicating appreciation for her time. - D.C. Wilbur requested that the Board consider reimbursing Co. 6 for the purchase of a toaster to replace one that had come up missing from Station 6 in the amount of $29 .97 . On a motion by Comm. Hamilton, Seconded by Comm. Bargher - carried and approved to be paid from the donation fund. - D.C. Wilbur then reported on the hazardous material media event to occur on Friday, June 11th where the Ithaca Fire Dept. would take possession of a bus from Cornell Transit through Cornell Life Safety Services Division. D.C. Wilbur encouraged all Commissioners to attend as it marked not only the donation of a bus but also a formal recognition of a cooperative program between Cornell University and the City of Ithaca (Fire Dept. ) to plan and manage hazardous material emergencies on a larger scope than had been done before. Commissioners Bargher and Hamilton indicated they would attempt to attend. - D.C. Wilbur then reported on the status of the staffing proposal that had been presented to the Commission at the special meeting at the end of May indicating that it had been presented to the Ithaca Paid Firefighter's Association at their regular meeting and was unanimously approved to • • Minutes June 5, 1993 Page 5 continue in preparing this plan. This concluded the report from D.C. Wilbur. - Monthly reports were distributed. - There was no other business. 15. Comm. Hamilton moved that the Board proceed into Executive Session to discuss a request from a needy member. Seconded by Comm. Bargher and carried at 1952 hrs. At 2008 hrs. the Board ended Executive Session. On a motion of Chairman Baker, seconded by Comm. Bargher the request for a needy member was approved with one modification. The motion carried. At 2011 hrs . a motion by Comm. Hamilton to adjourn the meeting was seconded and carried. Respectfully submitted, T _� Lyman Baker, Chairman (Minutes prepared and certified by D.C. Brian H. Wilbur) June 9, 1993 A Committee meeting on Personnel and Staffing will be held June 29, 1993 at 6: 00PM at Fire Central . Also, at 7:00PM the Committee for Training and Volunteers will meet . Same location. Thank you Lyman E. Baker, Chairman Board of Fire Commissioners cc : L-deputy Chief Brian Wilbur Deputy Chief Tom Dorman CommiLtee Members : Joe Barghef Clay Hamilton • NEWS RELEASE Friday, June 11 , 1993 1 OAM The Board of Fire Commissioners wish to express their appreciation in completion of the transfer of Title for a Cornell Transit Bus to Ithaca Fire Department . It' s a big step forward in our HAZ-MAT PROGRAM. Many personne; will receive great henfit from the mobile decontamination station . Your continued support is much appreciated. Tha k you Lyman E. BAker, Chairman Board of Fire Commissioners cc : Bgaird Members ✓Deputy Chief Brian Wilbur rile June 9, 1993 Deputy Chief Brian Wilbur, Received attatched letter from Patricia .M.Kennedy, Assistant Attorney today. We are doing everything except sending copies of the minutes to the Clerk,s office. Starting with June 8 , 1993 Board of Fire Commissioners minutes , her request will be carried out . u r,4,v Lyman E.Baker,Chairman Board of Fire Commissioners June 9, 1993 A Committee meeting on Personnel and Staffing will be held June 29, 1993 at 6:00PM at Fire Central . Also, at 7:00PM the Committee for Training and !Volunteers will meet . Same location. Thank you ArK4a-4"_ <2-4,gc4fiee___ Lyman E. Baker, Chairman Board of Fire Commissioners cc : L--deputy chief Brian Wilbur Deputy Chief Tom Dorman CommiLtee Members : Joe Bargher Clay Hamilton � -- ■ I(T7177. e, CITY OF ITHACA 108 EAST GREEN STREET ITHACA, NEW YORK 14850 OFFICE OF TELEPHONE: (607)274-6504 CITY ATTORNEY FAX: (607)272-7348 MEMORANDUM TO: All Boards & Commissions and Committees of Common Council FROM: Patricia M. Kennedy, Assistant City Attorney DATE: June 7, 1993 RE: Minutes of Public Meetings This memo is a reminder to all Boards, Commissions, Task Forces, and Committees of the City of Ithaca and Committees of Common Council that both the city law on Open Meetings and the state law on Open Meetings require that minutes must be taken. The language of the law is as follows: Minutes shall be taken at all open meetings of a public body which shall consist of a record or a summary of all motions, proposals, resolutions and other matter formally voted upon and the vote thereon. Minutes are also required to be taken at executive sessions on any action that is taken by formal vote. Executive session votes are to consist of a record or summary of the final determination on the action and the date and vote taken thereon. The summary does not need to include any matter which is not required to be made public by the Freedom of Information Law. Copies of these minutes should be filed with the Clerk's Office once they are prepared. State law rectuires that the minutes are to be made available within two weeks from the date of the meeting. 4' 'An Equal Opportunity Employer with an Affirmative Action Program' t4 Recycled Paper