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HomeMy Public PortalAbout2023-01-26 minutes 1 Public Safety Committee Meeting Call to Order The January 26, 2023, Public Safety Committee meeting was convened at 7:30 a.m. by Councilman Schreiber. Attendance Present: Committee Members: Councilman Mark Schreiber, Councilwoman Laura Ward (virtual), Councilman Jack Deeken. Guests: Fire Chief Matt Schofield, Police Chief Eric Wilde, EMS Chief Eric Hoy, City Administrator Steve Crowell, City Councilman Mike Lester, Emergency Management Director Nicholas Tietsort, Fire Division Chief Jerry Blomberg, Director Zumwalt, City Councilman Ron Fitzwater (virtual) Approval of Minutes Councilman Schreiber motioned to move the approval of the minutes from the December 29th meeting to the next committee meeting due to the lack of council members. Councilman Deeken seconded the motion. Discussion of Agenda Items OLD BUSINESS Nothing to Report NEW BUSINESS Funding Request for a Deputy Director Position in the Emergency Management Department Director Tietsort stated in May 2022, the Emergency Management Department was given the opportunity to apply for an EMPG grant that would allow for the funding of the Director position, an Administrative Assistant position, and a Deputy Director position including salaries benefits, and some department budget items. The Deputy Director position was not approved until January 2023 due to the different fiscal years with the state and city. The department was awarded $104,451 through the EMPG grant. Director Tietsort brings this grant to the council’s attention for their approval to amend the Deputy Director position. Director Tietsort advised he will be reapplying for the EMPG grant in May 2023 to be able to hire within the grant cycle. He also stated Cole County is the only first-class county without a Deputy Director position. Duties for the Deputy Director position include splitting the Director’s roles and having an equal share of responsibilities. The position will also aid the Director during emergency situations 2 where the two positions will need to be in rotation of on another. This will also aid the Director during time away from the office making sure there is always full coverage. In response to City Administrator Crowell’s question regarding city contribution, 50% of the salary and benefits for the position will be paid through the EMPG grant, and the remaining 50% will be paid by the council and city (25% each.) Councilman Schreiber asked Director Tietsort to prepare a full presentation to present to the full council. Burn Building/Drill Tower Update Chief Schofield gave a brief history of burn building and drill tower topics from previous meetings and the FY23 budget process. He explained the building that was being considered is a conventional construction building made up of concrete and masonry, but after fully exploring this option the current recommendation is for a pre-engineered steel structure. MUFRTI Director (ret.) Kevin Zumwalt explained the concrete structures are challenged with the extreme heat which will result in spalling; an explosion that occurs when the moisture in the concrete is heated to extreme temperatures. Chief Schofield explained the department is recommending an engineered steel building. The steel building would withstand the high temperatures, be most effective long-term, and easier to inspect for damage. Chief Schofield stated the department can utilize a company from Kansas City through Co-op purchasing process with a discounted price. More specific estimates from this company will be brought up in future meetings but the initial quote is for approximately 1.79 million Director Zumwalt, a Jefferson City resident and retired director for the University of Missouri Fire and Rescue training institute, stated he wants a safe and effective facility for the fire department. He stated when he visited the burn building, he knew it was beyond its service life. He recommends a 5-story training tower based on the current community risk profile, a 2-story residential building with attic access, and two different sloped roofs. This would allow for multiple training scenarios based on the community risk. He also suggested access to Class B burn scenarios (gas fire) rather than Class A (straw and wood fire) to prevent contamination in air quality or runoff. Councilman Schreiber stated an ideal building would be a durable long-term building. An upgraded building may bring the state summer fire school back to Jefferson City which will bring revenue for the city. Councilwoman Ward thinks it is beneficial to have attic rooftop training due to the aging neighborhoods and for the safety of the firefighters. Chief Schofield is also open to looking at other training funding opportunities and ARPA funding to fund the building construction. Councilman Schreiber asked to move forward and directed Chief Schofield to seek funding and continue to discuss it with the other council members. Councilwoman Ward seconded. 3 OTHER BUSINESS Fire Department Update Chief Schofield advised the department is currently holding department wide meetings which include six session (2 per shift). He also stated Chief Hoy, EMS, the Police Department, and Cole County are working on implementing the first step in the integrated CAD system which will go live February 14, 2023. Chief Schofield stated winter fire school will begin February 3, 2023. Chief Schofield advised he is finalizing a CPR class that will be open to the public and city council. More details to come. Chief Schofield stated the department has completed their annual gear checks and conducted decontamination training. Police Department Updates Chief Wilde gave a brief hiring update. There have been three communications operators hired and one operator who has advanced to full duty within the last two months. One communications operator has resigned. There is currently one officer in the police academy and one officer in the field training program. Chief Wilde stated the department has shrank the 3-month hiring period down to 30 days in hopes to bring in more candidates. Chief Wilde advised the department has submitted the budget and policies for the body-worn camera project. Funds will be arriving soon and the department will be able to advance with the project. The Department of Justice is contributing $180,000 towards the project, and a bid for the city’s contribution is being discussed. Councilman Deeken commended Matt Barry for the great work he does at the animal shelter. He stated the animal shelter staff is helpful, polite, and always does a great job with the animals and the public. Other Updates Nothing to report. Adjourn Councilman Schreiber motioned to adjourn the meeting, Councilman Deeken seconded the motion. Meeting was adjourned at 8:30 a.m.