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Home My WebLink AboutSPJT Minutes 1995-06-14SRCC/FIRE COMM. MINUTES (Spec. Jt.)6/14/95 Page 1 R E V I S E D IN CONFERENCE ROOM 201 OF THE CITY HALL OF SAN RAFAEL, WEDNESDAY, JUNE 14, 1995, AT 7:30 PM Special Joint Meeting: San Rafael City Council/ San Rafael Fire Commission Present: FIRE COMMISSION Charles L. Daniels, Steven Mizroch Mary Ellen Irwin Jr., Chairman David Zappetini, Councilmember Absent: Kathleen L. Devlin Richard Heine Present: CITY COUNCIL Albert Boro, Mayor Paul Cohen, Councilmember Barbara Heller, Councilmember Absent: Gary Phillips, Counciilmember Others Present: Robert Marcucci, Fire Chief Bob Parr, San Rafael Firefighters Association Sharron Stoelzl, Secretary/Acting Deputy City Clerk The Special Joint Meeting of the San Rafael City Council and the San Rafael Fire Commission was called to order by Chairman Charles I. Daniels at 7:45 PM. The item discussed during this special meeting was part of the San Rafael Fire Commission Regular Meeting Agenda - Item #3. The minutes of the April 12, 1995 meeting were approved as distributed. RE: CITY COUNCIL/FIRE COMMISSION DISCUSSION - File 9-2-5 x 9-3-31 (Verbal) Following introductions of the San Rafael City Councilmembers present, discussion ensued regarding size of the Fire Commission and communication channels to the City Council. Mayor: The reason the issue of size of the Commission was brought up is that the last slate of candidates for appointment was very good. Heller: It is good to include as many as possible, so residents do not lose interest. Zappetini: When selecting, need to know composition of existing panel; replace with individuals with same expertise. Commission should provide specific guidelines as well as input from the Fire Chief. Daniels: Need a vehicle to communicate more often to Council. Protocol. Chief is conduit to Council, as needed to Mayor or any Councilmember. Mizroch: Skill (1); Geographic Representative (2); Excited people (3) - option is to appoint an alternate - greater than eight members less cohesive. Daniels: Meetings are open, encourage citizens to attend as an alternative. Irwin: Volunteer Group, assist Department in prevention. Cohen: Disaster preparedness, volunteer coordinator for City, define opportunities in Department and neighborhoods. Daniels: If we want to expand, notify Council. Cohen: Keep a workable group. If Commission is satisfied with size, leave alone - possible alternate for special individuals. Daniels: If we want to expand, notify Council. Cohen: Develop criteria for particular expertise; geography very important, but not always No. 1. Mayor: Sub -committees work well. Daniels: Fire Commission meets every other month. Mayor: Let Council know what help is needed. Zappetini/ Daniels: Congratulate Fire Chief on effectiveness of third party billing. Cohen: Communications; shared Commission meeting, possibly have a Commissioner address Council. Irwin: Need of cross culture, also need Planners involved (regarding vegetation management). Cohen: May want to get to Design Review Board. Daniels: Does not believe we (Fire Department) have "blown our horn" enough, Department does not get kudos from IJ. Heller: Send press releases telling good things. Cohen: Get recognition from community activists, i.e. Commission. News coverage not effective, City as a whole needs more PR. Heller: Budget, make sure pie chart of budget gets to Commission members. Mayor: Fire Flow/Hal Brown/Fire Safe Marin/MMWD, additional hydrants, trying to get significant dollars for improvements in Fire Flow. Zappetini: $150,000 from MMWD for Fire Flow is off base. New effort for at least $200,000 to be used for hydrants and water tank connections. Mayor: Fireman's Fund is done in the County (homeowners insurance cancellations). Find out which other insurance companies are planning cancellations. Cohen: Report from another group suggested placing a hydrant at Falkirk, implied lengthy response time for Fire Department. Marcucci: Hydrants are located at Mission Avenue and "E" Street, and Mission Avenue and SRCC/FIRE COMM. MINUTES (Spec. Jt.) 6/14/95 Page 1 SRCC/FIRE COMM. MINUTES (Spec. Jt.)6/14/95 Page 2 R E V I S E D "C" Street, not a long response time. Zappetini: May want to look at expansion of main and installing hydrants at Falkirk. Cohen: Suggest to move up in budget priorities. Marcucci: Will look at possibility of two hydrants. The Department activity for the first five months reflected an overall 8% increase; however, the increase is attributed to winter related storms; water problems, power lines arcing, alarms sounding. There is an unexplained drop in medical calls. Possible reasons are: educating nursing homes in proper procedures or third party billing. Analysis is needed at the six month interval, as well as the map showing calls by FMA. Station 6 is to be demolished Thursday, June 15 at 9:00 AM, rain or shine. A delay was caused by asbestos found on sheet rock walls. The temporary structure is in place. Landscaping, flag pole and signage is forthcoming. A pre-empt device will be placed on the engine to ease the flow of traffic for emergency dispatches. Chief Marcucci commended crews on their coordination, with recognition of the efforts of Captain Jack Canziani and Captain Kevin Spellman. The representative from the Fire Department for the new facility is Chief Brian Waterbury. Commissioner Irwin gave an overview of the presentations that she and Commissioner Devlin have been doing for various homeowner associations and neighborhoods. Also, recently did a presentation to Fireman's Fund Insurance. She suggests Police Department should be part of the Team. Public Works has worked hard. So far seven neighborhoods have been participating. Some have funding, however, they need to work with issues. Problem areas: Parking on narrow roads; Fire Department inspection time; City seed money for abatement - abatement "pot". Potential of using small claims court for forcing property owners to maintain heavy vegetation fuels. Is it politically correct? Looking into small grants from insurance companies and FEMA grants (but only to areas where there is continued interest). Department focus is education, there should be heightened realization. Mayor Boro encouraged the Department to use the enforcement power the Council has given. The Fire Department Budget Session is scheduled for June 26. The 1995-96 is a good budget. To date $133,000 has been cut, which should not substantially affect the Department. It is a 6% increase over the previous year, of which 4.4% is an increase in salaries, retirement and fringe benefits. The budget reflects an additional Paramedic to be hired after January 1, 1996. Budget information will be mailed to the Commission. Chief Marcucci discussed an EMS syllabus that has been forwarded to Department members regarding the future of EMS. A copy to follow for Commissioners. A brief discussion of narrow streets and problems for apparatus in older areas including Fremont, Country Club, Dominican, Roberts, Southern Heights, Picnic Valley. There being no further business, the meeting was adjourned at 9:55 PM. SHARRON STOELZL, Secretary, Acting Deputy City Clerk APPROVED THIS MAYOR OF THE CITY OF SAN RAFAEL DAY OF 1995 SRCC/FIRE COMM. MINUTES (Spec. Jt.) 6/14/95 Page 2