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HomeMy Public PortalAbout08-03-1972 BOARD OF PUBLIC WORKS & SAFETY OF THE CITY OF RICHMOND, INDIANA, AUGUST 3, 1972 The Board of Public Works and Safety of the City of Richmond, Indiana, met in regular -session August 3, 1972 at the hour of 9:00 a.m. in the Municipal Building of said City. Mr. Judge presided with the following members present: Mr. Benner and Miss Wynegar. The following business was had to-wit: { Mr. Benner moved to approve the minutes of the previous meeting, seconded by Miss Wynegar and on unanimous voice vote the motion was carried. Mr. Judge commented on the proposed change in Fire Department personnel , that every major innovative change in government meets public resistance at first, citing the trash ordinance, public housing and the Mall . He said that the City is concerned with providing first class fire service to the citizens while at the same time trying to cope with spiraling costs of all services. Miss Wynegar made the following statement: The most important aspect of the plan is that it is designed to protect lives and property. Whereas, formerly a captain and an engineer and a firefighter appeared at a fire, now the same captain and the same engineer will appear with seven fully-trained minutemen. This plan provides a proper balance or combina- tion of very experienced professional firefighters with trained stand-by minute- men. We will provide the same training program for these minutemen as we pro- vide for regular firemen. I believe we've all had the experience of doing a job with a certain number of people or in a certain way and have been required to do the same job just as effectively with another set of workers. The second aspect of this plan is that it is one of the very few attempts made anywhere to cut down the cost of the city government. Sometimes it has seemed to me that cost-reduction was only done in industry where there was a profit to be derived. This year, despite inflation, the cost of city government has been reduced from that of last Year. He is a plan to very greatly reduce the cost of one of the major city services. No one has said that there would be no problems with this new plan. Cost-reduction, no matter whether it is done on a large scale or individually at home, is always difficult. Mr. Benner made the following statement: I feel that this Board has thrust upon it a very heavy burden which we must shoulder. This Board does not have as their sole intention the creation of unemployment in any group without positive justification. I realize the impact created on the families involved and have strong feelings in this area. I , in the same token, must realize the validity of this document and the impact which it entails. I feel we must realize excessive manpower usage has all but priced these units out of the market. I for_one do not wish to see this City in a similar predicament and therefore must throw my support behind this program. Don Atkins of the Fire Fighters asked whether the Board was going to act on submitting a budget to Council which would not include salaries for the 21 firefighters the Mayor is proposing to drop. Mr. Judge said that that was true. Mr. Atkins said he thought the Board would be making a mistake, that the firefighters had not been consulted and I. that he thought there were errors in the Fire Report. He said insurance rates would go up if the plan were adopted because of the added risk. Mr. Judge said that this is only a supposition, but Mr. Atkins said that he has checked it with insurance people. Robert Demps of the firefighters requested the Board reconsider the plan since he felt it was written by someone unqualified to report on the matter. He introduced Dan Eberhart of the International Fire- Fighters . Mr. Eberhart of the International Association of Firefighters spoke against the plan and said that the Union will not permit minutemen to replace 21 firefighters. He said the Scottsdale, Arizona plan would not work in Richmond. He asked the Board to amend the Budget to include the 21 firemen until a further study could be made. Reverend Thomas Burrell said that black people should be concerned with this and expressed his support for the firefighters. Mr. Judge said that he felt that volunteers throughout the country should not be downgraded. Mr. Atkins said that there are human rights involved and that Richmond does not deserve volunteer firefighters. He said the Board is not qualified to tell firemen their jobs. Board of Works Minutes August 3, 1972 Page 2 Mr. Demps requested the question be put to a public referendum in the fall election. Mr. Judge explained that our government system is not geared toward referendums. Mr. Demps asked whether the Board would be willing to postpone a decision until the National Underwriters and the National Fire Chiefs Association could testify. Mr. Judge said the Board is willing to listen to anybody but it has studied the plan ' sufficiently. Miss Wynegar moved the Board adopt the plan as submitted in the Fire Report, second- ed by Mr. Judge and on unanimous voice vote the motion was carried. A petition signed by 42 names was submitted against the plan. Mr. Benner explained that the Board has a responsibility to accept or reject the plan but has no author- ity over the Budget. He also said that his vote to accept the plan was based purely on the Fire Report which has been under study since last March. Traffic Captain Scott Loper submitted the following report: (See attached letter #2) Mr. Benner moved the Board deny the request as recommended, seconded by Miss Wynegar and on unanimous voice vote the motion was carried. Traffic Captain Loper read the following letter: (See attached State Highway letter.) Mr. Judge asked the Traffic Division to stay with the situation. Captain Loper read the following letter: (See attached letter #3) Mr. Judge asked what the neighborhood reaction to the proposed change is. Captain z Loper said that the Traffic Division survey showed 52% in favor, 16% opposed, and the remainder unconcerned. Mr. Benner moved the Board accept the Traffic recommends; tion, seconded by Mr. Judge, and on unanimous voice vote the motion was carried. Police Chief Donald Strahan recommended the Board order a resolution prepared for Council consideration to transfer $732.00 from L-34 Radios to L-13 Omnibus Crime Control and $7061.75 from L-6 Teletype to L-13 Omnibus Crime Control . Chief Strahan explained that the transfer was strictly a bookkeepting operation and the money has been budgeted for the purpose but must be reappropriated as matching Federal Funds are allocated to projects. . Mr. Judge moved the Board approve the request, seconded by Mr. Benner and on unanimous voice vote the motion was carried. Representatives of Camps Farthest Out, meeting at Earlham College, requested permis- sion for their young people to use the Mall for songs. Mr. Judge explained that permission would have to come from the Downtown Merchant's. Mr. Benner moved the Board approve a curb cut at 16 Southwest 1st Street by Passpoint, a car wash, Traffic and Zoning having approved, seconded by Miss Wynegar and on unan- imous voice vote the motion was carried. There being no further business on motion duly made, seconded and passed, the meeting was adjourned. Jerald J. Judge, President ATTEST: Lotte Hoskins, Clerk of the Board