Council Public Safety and Public Works Committee

Summary

Meeting Overview

The Public Safety & Public Works Committee met on March 8, 2011, at 1:00 p.m., with Diane Lawless presiding. The committee addressed five agenda items during the session, including updates on paramedic training and EMS units, a pilot project regarding on-street parking during street cleaning, and progress reports on two road projects: Todds Road Widening Phase 2 and Oliver Lewis Way. The committee took three votes and heard four public comments during the meeting. Most agenda items were presented for informational purposes, with the exception of the on-street parking pilot project, which was deferred for further consideration.

Attendance

The following individuals were present at the meeting on March 8, 2011:

• Diane Lawless
• Steven J. Stack
• Council Member Crosby
• Council Member Hanson
• Vice Mayor Gorton
• Council Member Martin
• Council Member Myers
• Council Member Farmer
• Council Member Henson
• Council Member Cross
• Council Member Ellinger
• Council Member McCord
• Council Member Feigl
• Mr. Curtis
• Mr. Grumwald
• Officer Keith Gaines
• Mr. Means

No members were recorded as absent or late.

Votes and Decisions

Three motions were passed during the meeting, all by voice vote with no recorded opposition.

Paramedic Training Presentation Preservation 1:12:26

Council Member Farmer moved to preserve the one-page paramedic training presentation for ongoing discussion during the budget process. The motion passed by voice vote.

Task Force on Staffing Issues 1:31:21

Council Member Crosby moved to ask the Vice Mayor to create a task force to study staffing issues. The scope of the task force includes examining the separation of EMT/paramedic roles from firefighters, response times, recruitment, and collective bargaining implications. Council Member Ellinger seconded the motion. The motion passed by voice vote.

Removal of Graffiti Task Force from Committee Agenda 1:40:49

Council Member Henson moved to remove the graffiti task force from the committee agenda. Council Member McCord seconded the motion. The motion passed by voice vote.

Public Comment

Council members raised several questions and concerns regarding firefighter recruitment, staffing practices, and budget planning.

Recruitment and Diversity

Council Member Myers 1:07:05 suggested expanding firefighter recruitment efforts to local high schools and athletic programs. He noted that this approach could reach a more diverse pool of candidates, as many potential applicants may not attend college.

Bilingual Services

Council Member Henson 1:12:58 inquired about bilingual capabilities within the fire department, asking whether any current firefighters are bilingual. He also asked about previous efforts to provide Spanish language training during the pre-entry phase, noting that such funding had not been sustained in the past.

Shift Scheduling

Council Member Martin 1:04:47 asked Dr. Stack about the advisability of continuing the current 24-hour on/48-hour off shift schedule. Dr. Stack indicated that this schedule is standard practice and that changing it would not be advisable due to the complexity involved and potential professional dissatisfaction among staff.

Budget Planning and Paramedic Services

Council Member Crosby 1:08:13 asked the administration whether they plan to present options during the budget process to address paramedic training and staffing needs. He emphasized the urgency of this matter given upcoming collective bargaining negotiations.

Contested Items

The meeting featured two significant areas of disagreement among committee members.

Separation of EMT/Paramedic Roles from Firefighters

A substantial debate centered on whether paramedics should be required to hold firefighter certifications. The committee was divided on this issue, resulting in a split vote. Proponents of separating these roles argued that removing the firefighter requirement could help address ongoing staffing shortages and ultimately save lives. Conversely, other members contended that maintaining the dual-role system was essential for operational effectiveness and crew safety. The disagreement reflected differing priorities regarding workforce structure and emergency response capabilities.

Paramedic Training Funding and Urgency

The committee engaged in a heated discussion regarding paramedic training and its funding. A critical concern was the five-year gap that had occurred in paramedic training programs. Multiple speakers warned that this gap represented a life safety crisis and was contributing to workforce burnout among existing personnel. While committee members acknowledged the significant cost of conducting a training class—approximately $400,000—there was strong emphasis on the urgency of addressing this issue despite existing budget constraints. The discussion reflected tension between fiscal responsibility and the immediate need to develop adequate paramedic capacity.

Paramedic Training & Supply and EMS EC Units in Service

Dr. Steven J. Stack presented concerns from the Emergency Medical Advisory Board regarding paramedic training and EMS unit capacity 14:45.

Key Issues Presented:

• No paramedic training has been conducted since 2009, creating workforce shortages and contributing to employee burnout
• All nine currently operational EMS units exceed the standard 3,000-run benchmark annually, with some units handling over 4,000 runs per year
• A 10th ambulance was purchased in 2006 but remains unstaffed due to lack of funded personnel positions

Concerns Raised:

Dr. Stack emphasized the operational strain on existing EMS units and the need to address the paramedic workforce gap. The absence of training for several years has created staffing challenges that are affecting service delivery and employee sustainability.

Committee Discussion:

The committee discussed the necessity of implementing paramedic training in 2012 and the importance of staffing the 10th ambulance unit that has been available since 2006 but remains inactive due to budget constraints.

Outcome:

This item was presented as informational, with the committee acknowledging the need for immediate action on paramedic training and the staffing of the additional ambulance unit to address capacity and workforce concerns.

On Street Parking During Street Cleaning (Pilot Project)

1:36:26

The committee discussed a pilot project to implement no-parking zones during street cleaning operations on specific streets in the third district.

Project Overview

The pilot project aims to establish designated no-parking periods while street cleaning takes place on selected streets within the third district. The initiative would use signage and door hangers as the primary methods to notify residents of the new parking restrictions.

Project Status

The project experienced delays due to weather conditions but is scheduled to resume during the University of Kentucky's spring break period.

Key Participants

Officer Keith Gaines and Mr. Means were the primary speakers on this agenda item.

Committee Decision

Rather than conducting a full discussion of the pilot project at this meeting, the committee agreed to send the information to the third district for their review and consideration. This approach deferred further detailed discussion to a later time.

Todds Rd Widening Phase 2 Update

Mr. Grumwald provided an update on the design phase of the Todds Road widening project, which is currently 60% complete 1:33:06.

Project Team and Review Process

The project review team overseeing this work includes the project engineer, engineering section manager, Director of Engineering, and input from KTC.

Project Status

The design phase remains in progress with a change order currently pending.

Concerns Raised

The committee identified concerns regarding the aging tunnel located under the road. These concerns encompassed both safety issues and pedestrian access considerations related to the existing tunnel structure.

Committee Request

In response to the tunnel concerns, the committee requested that the engineering team investigate the possibility of including a tunnel study as part of a future change order to the project.

Outcome

This item was presented as an informational update to the committee.

Oliver Lewis Way Update

1:37:01

Mr. Grumwald provided an update on the Oliver Lewis Way project, reporting on progress across multiple phases.

Phase 4 Progress

Utility companies are currently burying cables as part of Phase 4 work, with completion expected in mid to late summer. R.J. Corman is working on the underpass component of the project. The Kentucky Transportation Cabinet is addressing punch list items.

Phase 2 Funding

The committee is actively seeking funding for Phase 2 property acquisition. A supplemental agreement has been submitted to support this phase of the project.

Community Land Trust

The Community Land Trust continues to search for an executive director to fill this key leadership position.

The update was presented as informational, with no debate or specific concerns noted during this portion of the meeting.

Items Referred to Committee

1:40:49

The council discussed the status of several items that had been referred to committee. Council Member Henson and Council Member Crosby participated in this discussion.

Graffiti Task Force

The committee considered removing the graffiti task force from the agenda due to lack of activity.

Emergency Snow Plan

The council noted that the emergency snow plan was currently listed in two different committees. A motion was made to combine these items into a single committee assignment, though no final action was taken on this proposal.

Itinerant Merchant Task Force

The council indicated that the itinerant merchant task force would be brought back to the agenda once it had completed its work.

The outcome of this agenda item was informational in nature.