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HomeMy WebLinkAboutMN-BFC-1991-10-29 - e BOARD OF FIRE COMMISSIONERS OCTOBER 29, 1991 (Special Meeting) MINUTES PRESENT: Commissioners Baker, Begg, Cornelius *, Mayer, Neigh, Common Council Liaison Daley ( * Note: Due to a prior commitment, Commissioner Cornelius left before the end of the meeting. ) 1 . Chairman Baker called the meeting to order at 1607 hours. 2 . Additions/deletions to the agenda: - Request from Varna Fire Department (incorporated as item 8A. ) - Resolution regarding use of facilities (incorporated as item 8B. ) - Membership change (incorporated as item 8C. ) (Note: Later in the meeting, the board voted to table consideration of the above additions until the regular meeting of 11/12/91 . ) 3 . Persons wishing to speak to the Board of Fire Commissioners : - None 4 . Chief Olmstead briefed the board on status of the 1991 department budget, per memo attached. 5 . Chief Olmstead briefed the board on status of 1992 budget discussions, per memo attached. 6 . Commissioner Mayer moved the following resolution: The Board of Fire Commissioners recognizes that in a time of financial austerity priorities must be set. The Board will set only the general guidelines. Specific priorities should be developed by the Administrative Staff and communicated to the Board and the members of the Department. The priorities of the Ithaca Fire Department are: 1. Safety 2 . Emergency response 3 . Maintenance of facilities and equipment 4 . Training and development 5 . Other duties . Seconded by Commissioner Cornelius ( for discussion) . After discussion, the board reached consensus that priorities of the department are, in fact, all of the above and are so interrelated that one cannot be reduced without reducing the rest. Comm. Mayer withdrew his motion. Board of Fire Commissioners Meeting of 10/29/91 Page 2 Commissioner Mayer moved the following resolution: The Board of Fire Commissioners requires that the Fire Chief direct the staff of the fire department in such a way that the priorities of the department are met, as far as possible, while realizing that Administrative Staff is authorized only a 40-hour work week, with no provision for overtime compensation. A part of the Chief 's monthly report will be the name of any administrative employee who exceeds the duty period by more than 20 percent. Commissioner Neigh stated that he would prefer to say that there should be greater effort to eliminate the excessive amount of hours that administrative staff are forced to work. Chief Olmstead stated he has already directed administrative staff to limit their work time to the hours specified, admitting he has not served as a very good example. Commissioner Mayer withdrew the motion. There was considerable discussion concerning items 4 - 6 . Among the concerns expressed: - Proposed cuts in ' 91 and ' 92 budgets are unfairly targeted at volunteers; - Length of Service Awards Program should be preserved, since it is a valuable retention tool; - City appears to be unilaterally backing away from what had been agreed upon in the city-town contract. If cuts of this magnitude are desired, the parties involved should tell the department what programs they wish to cut; In the 1992 budget, with LOSAP cut, the only place to find $40,000 in additional cuts in the 400 lines would be in protective clothing or contractual services (volunteer programs) ; - Commissioner Begg stated a preference for relinquishing LOSAP money for now, since legal questions must still be answered, and said it would be preferable for the board to maintain the most control as possible over where cuts are made by communicating where the cuts should fall, within the Mayor's guidelines. Actions on items 4 and 5: Moved by Commissioner Mayer, seconded by Comm. Neigh that Board of Fire Commissioners Meeting of 10/29/91 Page 3 the board stands by its recommended 1992 budget and the alternatives submitted, rather than the Mayor' s budget. Though the board reached informal consensus in discussion that this was its preference, no formal vote was taken. Moved by Commissioner Mayor, seconded by Comm. Begg that any additional cuts to the 400 lines in the Mayor's 1992 budget be made from the clothing allowance, reducing the 415 line by $40,000 . Carried unanimously. (Commissioner Cornelius left the meeting at this point.) Moved by Commissioner Mayer, seconded by Comm. Neigh that, in view of a lack of protective clothing and staff for training, the board direct that all recruitment for the volunteer and bunker programs be stopped immediately. Approved 3-1 (Comm. Begg opposed, Comm. Cornelius absent) . Moved by Commissioner Mayer, seconded by Comm. Neigh that all further reductions to the 1991 budget come from the 415 line (protective clothing) . Approved 3-1 (Comm. Begg opposed, Comm. Cornelius absent) . 7 . Commissioner Mayer told the board he will recommend that the Town move to renegotiate the city-town contract, since because of budgetary constraints, the City is failing to provide the service agreed to in the contract. 8. Moved by Commissioner Neigh, seconded by Comm. Baker that the additions to the agenda proposed earlier be tabled until the next regular meeting on November 12, 1991. Carried unanimously. At 1911 hours, it was moved by Commissioner Neigh, seconded by Comm. Begg, and carried unanimously that the meeting be adjourned. Respectfully submitted, Lyman E. Baker Chairman %'`,uarrr �r '•!'' � a t1 Ati .`), CITY OF ITHACA 310 WEST GREEN STREET ITHACA, NEW YORK 14850 OFFICE OF TELEPHONE: 272-1234 FIRE CHIEF CODE 607 MEMORANDUM 27TO: rd of Fire Commissioners FRO : Edward M. Olmstead, Jr. , Fire Chief DATE: 29 October 1991 SUBJECT: 1991 Budget At the regular meeting of the Budget and Administration Committee on Wednesday, October 16 , 1991, City Controller Dominick Cafferillo presented his recommendations for making up additional revenue deficits in the 1991 City budget. Included in his recommendations was $60, 000 from the Fire Department, as follows : 1. $30,000 from account A50-3410-435, Contractual Services, funding for the Length of Service Awards Program. 2 . $30, 000 that was encumbered in the 1990 budget for the Length of Service Awards Program. As you may remember, this money was encumbered against future years ' expenditures for LOSAP this program as a result on not being able to initiate the program in 1990 . I was not made aware of this recommendation prior to the meeting. I did not attend the meeting as there was no reference to the Fire Department in any of the agenda items . Alderpersons Romanowski and Booth questioned whether or not the Fire Chief and/or Board of Fire Commissioners had been consulted about this recommendation. Controller Cafferillo stated that he had not consulted with the Fire Department and that these were his recommendations . I met with Alderpersons Booth, Romanowski and Golder on Friday, October 18, 1991 at 1700 hours . They briefed me on the above information. I objected in the strongest possible terms to what I viewed as an inappropriate maneuver by Controller Cafferillo to amend the Fire Department appropriation. I indicated to those present that the appropriate procedure is to forward any request for budget amendments to the Board of Fire Commissioners through the Fire Chief. An Equal Ooportumty Employer with an Affirmative Action Program • Board of Fire Commissioners, 10/29/91 Page 2 I requested of those present the opportunity for me to meet with the Board of Fire Commissioners prior to the meeting of the Committee of the Whole (scheduled for Wednesday, October 30) to discuss the possibility of finding $60,000 in the Fire Department budget to meet the City's need. There was no answer from those present. Dick Booth said that he needed to think about the matter. I have heard nothing further since that .meeting. I attempted to contact Dick Booth by telephone as late as 1430 hours this afternoon, but was unable to locate him. Deputy Chiefs Dorman and Wilbur met with me on Wednesday afternoon, October 23rd, to discuss the possibility of reducing planned spending to accommodate a request for $60,000 . I believe that following to be possible: A. It is unlikely that we will spend the $30,000 that is in this year' s budget for the LOSAP program. If for no other fact, the time left in the current year is not sufficient to do all that must be done to start the program. Legal issues are still not resolved. Please see the attached notice for the NEw York State Association of Fire Chiefs that was received in my office on Monday, October 27, 1991 . B. An additional $30, 000 of planned spending reductions can be made as follows : 1. A combination of projected actual expenditures and planned reductions to the 1991 appropriated budget: APPROPRIATED PROPOSED Telephone $ 6,000 $ 8,000 Utilities 57,000 71,000 Clothing 122,300 84,500 Gas and Oil 19, 150 17,985 Office Expense 5,500 6,400 Contractual Svces 75,000 46,300 Staff Development 27,500 21,500 Travel and Mileage 300 0 Advertising 150 170 Program Supplies 36,000 22,000 Rental Equipment 1,548 1,545 Property Maint. 10,000 16,000 Equipment Maint., 60,552 65,500 Equip. Parts/Supp. 35,000 33,300 Building Maint. Supp. 4,000 4,900 Totals $460,000 $400,000 The above changes would mean the following: Board of Fire Commissioners, 10/29/91 Page 3 1 . A reduction in the amount of protective clothing purchased as a part of the current bid which is in process . Enough clothing would be purchased to fill in our depleted stock, but it would be imperative that next year's budget be fully funded to enable the purchase of sufficient gear to support new volunteer members, new bunkers and the replacement of protective clothing for existing members and employees . We will not have a full inventory of protective equipment. 2 . With the exception of the payment of expenses associated with the 2 recruit fire fighters attending the Buffalo Fire Academy and required Emergency Medical Technician refresher courses for employees, no other training will be funded for the balance of the year. 3 . There will be no further lawn maintenance at the outside stations (West and South Hill) . Only emergency station maintenance repairs will be authorized. 4 . No further purchases of Public Education materials will be authorized. Only part of one ( 1) set of decontamination materials will be purchased. I believe this to be a workable solution to finding $60,000, but it will not be comfortable, nor is it wise. But it appears that the City Controller and the Common Council are intent on making their own reductions . The only other alternative to the budget reduction scenarios, of course, would be to release the $30,000 that is encumbered from the 1990 budget. This would relieve the difficulties created by the above proposed adjustments . CC: 1991 Budget File Chrono NEW YORK STATE t= NlAi= ASSOCIATION O OF FIRECHIEFS 1670 COLUMBIA TURNPIKE CASTLETON,N.Y. 12033 (518)477-2631 FAX(518)477-4430 ATTENTION ALL MEMBERS UPDATE ON SERVICE AWARDS PROGRAM On September 18, 1991 representatives of FASNY, the Association of Fire Districts and State Chiefs, attended a meeting with New York State Comptroller Edward Regan, members of his staff, Assemblymen Paul Tokasz and Paul Tonko, representatives for Senator LaValle's office and the New York State Conference of Mayors. This meeting provided an update on the Service Awards Program for volunteer fire fighters. A number of concerns were raised, one of which may have tax consequences because of the possibility of internal revenue service code interpretations, which may affect LOSAP programs in New York as well as twenty other states. Currently, your fire service organizations through the congressional Fire Caucus are urging the passage of two bills which will help in the resolution of these potential tax issues. In addition, we are working with the Comptrollers Office and the LOSAP bill sponsors to clarify and amend the current legislation where necessary, in order to provide additional administrative guidance and funding safeguards. In the coming weeks we will provide information concerning the Service Awards Program as we continue to work with the legislature and comptroller's office to improve what is already being provided. If you have a Service Awards Program we know it is working for you. If you are considering a Service Awards Program, we urge you to continue to work for its passage. Jpzovicliny ..Sezvice go gfeose (1i'Io S' L 1 �3ai, ri; O "gP�RAt�CO<t) CITY OF ITHACA 310 WEST GREEN STREET ITHACA, NEW YORK 14850 OFFICE OF TELEPHONE: 272-1234 FIRE CHIEF CODE 607 MEMORANDUM TO: oard of Fire Commissioners FROM: dward M. Olmstead, Jr. , Fire Chief DATE: 29 October 1991 SUBJECT: 1992 Mayor's Proposed Budget I met with Mayor Nichols and City Controller Dominick Cafferillo on Wednesday, October 23, 1991 for a review of the Mayor' s proposed 1992 budget. At the beginning of the meeting, I informed Mayor Nichols that I would fully report the items discussed to the Board of Fire Commissioners . Mayor Nichols stated that there would be no discussion at this meeting since his comments were being distorted. He stated that he would simply go through the current status of his proposals . He reported as follows : Working from the 0% budget scenario submitted by the Board of Fire Commissioners : 105, Administration Salaries : Raises for Chief and Deputy Chiefs deleted (Controller Cafferillo stated that funds would be placed in contingency to cover this item, but the amount was not disclosed) . Municipal Training Officer is not funded. 110, Staff Salaries : $19, 000 is deleted for retirements (necessitating funding retirement buyouts from the salary line of the retirees) . The two (2 ) fire fighter positions that were funded for 4 months each are funded for the entire year. Two (2) currently vacant Fire Fighter positions are not funded. An Equal Opportunity Employer with an Affirmative Action Program" f Board of Fire Commissioners Page 2 125, Overtime: Overtime is reduced by 20% ($14,000) to $56,000 . 200, Equipment: There is no funding for any of the 200 lines (equipment) . 435, Contractual Services : $30,000 for the Length of Service Awards Program is not funded. 400, Total Contractual Services The Mayor will cut an additional $40,000 from the 400 lines, and has asked that the Fire Chief and Board of Fire Commissioners tell him where the cuts are to be made. The Mayor requested that this information be provided immediately. The Mayor's proposed 1992 Fire Department budget will be 2 .45% less than the 1991 budget. For your information, the expended and encumbered amounts for the 400 accounts of previous budgets are as follows: 1989 $421,036 1990 $412,036 1991 $440,308 (estimated) I am expected to report the Board's decision to the Mayor and City Controller on Wednesday morning ( 10/30/91) . CC: 1992 Budget File Chrono