Public Safety Committee

Summary

Meeting Overview

The Public Safety Committee met on July 8, 2014, at 1:00 p.m., with Peggy Henson presiding. The committee addressed five agenda items during the meeting and heard four public comments. Two motions were voted on during the session.

The committee approved the summary from a previous meeting. However, three substantive agenda items were deferred: the Division of Police Home Fleet Policy Update, a Community Corrections staffing levels update, and a proposal regarding outsourcing fire building maintenance. Additionally, one item listed as "Items in Committee" was withdrawn from consideration.

Attendance

The following individuals were present at the meeting on July 8, 2014:

• Peggy Henson
• Kevin Stinnett
• Chuck Ellinger
• Shevawn Akers
• Diane Lawless
• Bill Farmer
• George Myers
• Jennifer Mossotti
• Harry Clarke
• Ed Lane
• Jamie Emmons
• Ronnie Bastin
• Otis Hoskins
• Jamshid Baradaran
• Rodney Ballard
• John Sheed
• Hilary Angelucci

No absences or late arrivals were recorded.

Votes and Decisions

Motion to Approve the Summary as Amended

Peggy Henson moved to approve the summary as amended, with a second from Bill Farmer. The motion passed by voice vote. 2:00

Motion to Adjourn

Ed Lane moved to adjourn the meeting, with a second from Shevawn Akers. The motion passed by voice vote. 6:00

Budget and Financial Actions

The meeting on July 8, 2014 included appropriations and contracts totaling $770,000 for fire station infrastructure and equipment projects.

Fire Station Construction and Design

The following appropriations were approved for individual fire station projects:

• $100,000 for the design phase of Fire Station #2
• $100,000 for construction of Fire Station #24 and land acquisition
• $100,000 for land acquisition and design of Fire Station #25
• $100,000 for land acquisition and construction of Fire Station #26

Support Services and Equipment

Additional appropriations were approved for:

• $100,000 for training and equipment for the new fire stations
• $120,000 for a facility condition assessment for fire stations

Technology Contract

A contract valued at $150,000 was approved for a computerized maintenance management system (CMMS). The contract was awarded to a selected company, though the vendor name was not identified in the meeting materials.

Public Comment

Four members of the public addressed the council during this meeting.

Harry Clarke 3:00 asked for clarification regarding cost differences between Fire Station #2 and other stations, noting that the large lot size and planned campus development appeared to be key factors affecting the project costs.

Ed Lane 24:01 expressed concern about the fairness of charging officers $50 per month for personal use of home fleet vehicles. He argued that because officers are required to respond to emergencies while off-duty, requiring them to pay for this use is inequitable. He contended that the value of public safety should outweigh the associated costs.

Bill Farmer 44:16 raised concerns about transparency and the timing of the home fleet policy discussion. He stated that the relevant information was not included in the committee packet and characterized the discussion as rushed and poorly communicated to the public.

John Sheed 1:42:07 emphasized the importance of preventive maintenance for achieving long-term cost savings. He urged the council to prioritize investment in preventive maintenance despite current budget constraints.

Contested Items

The July 8, 2014 meeting included two significant areas of disagreement among committee members.

Home Fleet Policy Fee

The committee was divided over a proposed $50/month fee for officers' personal use of home fleet vehicles. Members disagreed on whether this charge was equitable given officers' 24/7 duty status. Some committee members argued the fee was unreasonable and could undermine public safety by discouraging officers from maintaining readiness. Other members acknowledged the fee represented a negotiated compromise, suggesting they were willing to accept it as a balanced solution despite reservations.

Transparency and Discussion Timing

Council Member Bill Farmer raised procedural concerns about how the home fleet policy was presented to the committee. Farmer criticized the lack of transparency, noting that relevant information was not included in the meeting packet distributed to members beforehand. He further objected to what he characterized as a rushed discussion, arguing that the compressed timeline prevented the committee from adequately reviewing the proposal and making fully informed decisions. This procedural dispute reflected broader concerns about the decision-making process rather than disagreement over the policy's substance.

Approval of Summary

The committee addressed the approval of the summary from the previous meeting. 2:00

Motion and Vote

Peggy Henson made a motion to approve the summary, which was seconded by Bill Farmer. The motion passed without dissent.

Corrections

A minor correction was made to the summary during this review. The date was updated from February 18, 2013, to July 8, 2014.

Outcome

The summary was approved as amended.

Division of Police, Home Fleet Policy Update

3:15

Scott Shapiro presented an update on the Division of Police home fleet policy. He explained that the personal use component of the program had been suspended following a 2012 collective bargaining agreement. The administration has since negotiated a new agreement that would reinstate personal use of vehicles for officers at a cost of $50 per month. This proposed agreement is currently being voted on by the Fraternal Order of Police (FOP).

Key Discussion Points

The committee examined several aspects of the proposal, including its cost-effectiveness, public safety benefits, and fairness. Committee members raised concerns about the $50 monthly charge, with several arguing that the fee is unreasonable. Specifically, members questioned the appropriateness of charging officers for personal vehicle use given their 24/7 duty status and on-call responsibilities.

Speakers

The discussion involved multiple committee members including Kevin Stinnett, Ed Lane, Harry Clarke, Bill Farmer, Shevawn Akers, Diane Lawless, Jennifer Mossotti, and Rodney Ballard, in addition to presenter Scott Shapiro.

Outcome

The committee deferred action on this agenda item, meaning no immediate decision or vote was taken at this meeting.

Community Corrections: Staffing Levels Update

Director Rodney Ballard presented an update on staffing levels for Community Corrections 46:38, highlighting ongoing challenges in meeting authorized personnel levels.

Current Situation

The department currently faces a shortfall of 11 officers despite the completion of a new academy class. Ballard outlined a multi-year staffing plan designed to reach 298 sworn officers by fiscal year 2017.

Key Discussion Points

The committee engaged in substantive discussion regarding several staffing challenges:

• Turnover and Retention: Committee members raised concerns about officer turnover rates and the factors contributing to staff departures.
• Compensation: The adequacy of pay relative to other jurisdictions was discussed as a potential factor affecting recruitment and retention.
• Management Issues: Broader management concerns were identified as part of the staffing challenges.

Committee Action

Participants in the discussion included Harry Clarke, Kevin Stinnett, Shevawn Akers, Diane Lawless, and Bill Farmer, in addition to Director Ballard.

In response to the presentation, the committee requested that a formal market study be conducted to compare the department's compensation and benefits with those offered by other jurisdictions. This study would provide data-driven information to inform future staffing and compensation decisions.

Outcome

The agenda item was deferred, indicating that further discussion or action on this matter would be scheduled for a future meeting.

Outsourcing Fire Building Maintenance

Assistant Fire Chief Otis Hoskins and Jamshid Baradaran presented an analysis of maintenance operations across the fire department's 44 stations. The presentation addressed the current staffing constraints, with only one civilian worker and a sworn supervisor managing building maintenance across all facilities.

Key Issues Presented

The presenters outlined the challenges of maintaining adequate facility upkeep given the 24/7 operational demands of fire stations. They evaluated the feasibility of full outsourcing but argued against this approach, citing both the continuous nature of fire department operations and the substantial costs associated with complete privatization of maintenance services.

Recommended Approach

Rather than full outsourcing, Hoskins and Baradaran recommended a hybrid model that would combine in-house staff with strategically targeted outsourcing for specific maintenance needs. This approach was presented as a more practical solution that would balance operational continuity with cost management.

Long-Term Solutions

The presentation also proposed two key initiatives to address maintenance challenges systematically:

• A facility condition assessment to evaluate the current state of all fire stations
• Implementation of a Computerized Maintenance Management System (CMMS) to improve tracking and scheduling of maintenance activities

Speakers and Discussion

The agenda item involved presentations from Otis Hoskins and Jamshid Baradaran, with participation from John Sheed, Ed Lane, Kevin Stinnett, and Harry Clarke in the discussion.

Outcome

The matter was deferred, indicating that no final decision was made at this meeting and the item would be revisited at a future date. 1:17:54

Items in Committee

During this portion of the meeting, the committee addressed several items that were removed from the agenda. Key speakers Ed Lane and Peggy Henson participated in this discussion.

The following items were removed from consideration:

• Abandoned housing
• Tenant transition
• Fire station locations
• ISO ratings
• Division of Police Staffing Plan
• Animal remains on private property
• Emergency operations center update

Additionally, the committee approved a motion to remove a proposal for a list of safe places during emergencies from the agenda.

Outcome: All items discussed in this section were withdrawn from the agenda. 1:58:36