Police & Fire Commission
May 13, 2008, 4:34 p.m.

Roll Call: Commissioners Meyer, Nuck, Schleihs and Taylor

Commissioner Rice, excused

Also Present: Police Chief Morris; Fire Chief Barnes; Mayor Halverson; Christine Smith, Virchow Krause; Dave Varana, Virchow Krause; Mike Falese, Virchow Krause; Deputy Chief John Zinda, Fire Department: Victor Kedrowski, Justin Thomson, Dennis Zvara, Jodi Baganz, Ron Heibler, Glynn Novak, Kerry Taylor, Tracy Aldrich, Casey Bielen

Index of these minutes:

2. People to be heard and announcements
3. Operational Review of the Fire Department presented by Virchow Krause & Company
4. Approval of Minutes
5. Confirmation of Bills
6. Discussion, with possible action, decision to not proceed with reaccreditation pending clarification of the long-term status of WILEAG
7. Commission appointments
8. Discussion, with possible action, request by Chief Morris to attend out of state training in San Francisco, California in July 2008 (paid for by Stevens Point School District)
9. Discussion, with possible action, approval of job description for Training and Safety Officer Position -- Fire Department
10. Fire Chief's Report
11. Police Chief's Report
12. Adjourn into Closed Session (approximately 5:45 p.m. pursuant to Wis. Stats. Sec. 19.85 (1) (c) for the following:

(a) Firefighter/Paramedic interview
(b) Review tentative resolution of Police Department grievance
(c) Consideration of employment status of Fire Department employee

13. Reconvene into Open Session (approximately 6:45 p.m.) for possible action on items 12(a) and 12(b).
14. Adjournment

2. People to be heard and announcements

None.

3. Operational Review of Fire Department presented by Virchow Krause & Company

Virchow Krause representatives presented a Power Point presentation summarizing their Final Report of the Operational Review of the Fire Department.

4. Adjourn into Executive Session pursuant to Wis. Stats. Secs. 19.85 (1) (c) for the following:

(a) Firefighter/Paramedic interview

Commissioner Nuck moved, seconded by Commissioner Taylor, to adjourn into Executive Session.

Ayes: Meyer, Nuck, Schleihs, Taylor
Nays: None. Motion Carried.

5. Reconvene into Open Session for possible action on Item 4(a).

Commissioner Taylor moved, seconded by Commissioner Nuck, to reconvene into open session for possible action.

Ayes: Meyer, Nuck, Schleihs, Taylor
Nays: None. Motion Carried.

Commissioner Nuck moved, seconded by Commissioner Taylor, to approve the hiring of Casey Bielen as probationary Firefighter/Paramedic contingent upon the successful completion of all remaining hiring protocol and testing.

Ayes: Meyer, Nuck, Schleihs, Taylor
Nays: None. Motion Carried.

6. Approval of Minutes

Commissioner Meyer moved, seconded by Commissioner Nuck, to approve the minutes of the April 15, 2008 meeting.

Ayes, all; nays, none. Motion Carried.

7. Confirmation of Bills

Commissioner Nuck moved, seconded by Commissioner Meyer, to accept the confirmation of the April 2008 Police Department bills.

Ayes, all; nays, none. Motion carried.

Commissioner Meyer moved, seconded by Commissioner Taylor, to accept the confirmation of the April 2008 Fire Department bills.

Ayes, all; nays, none. Motion carried.

8. Discussion, with possible action, decision to not proceed with reaccreditation pending clarification of the long-term status of WILEAG

Commissioner Taylor moved, seconded by Commissioner Nuck, to support Chief Morris' decision to not proceed with accreditation pending clarification of the long-term status of WILEAG

Ayes, all; nays, none. Motion carried.

9. Commission appointments

Commissioner Nuck moved, seconded by Commissioner Taylor, to nominate Dave Schleihs as Commission President.

The following commission appointments are effective as of May 13, 2008:

Maurice Rice, Secretary
Bill Meyer, Fire Liaison
Mary Taylor, Police Liaison

Ayes, all; nays, none. Motion carried.

10. Discussion, with possible action, request by Chief Morris to attend out of state training in San Francisco, California in July 2008 (paid for by Stevens Point School District)

Commissioner Taylor moved, seconded by Commissioner Nuck, to approve the out of state travel request of Chief Morris to attend training in San Francisco, California in July 2008.

Ayes, all; nays, none. Motion carried.

11. Discussion, with possible action, approval of job description for Training and Safety Officer Position - Fire Department

Commissioner Nuck moved, seconded by Commissioner Meyer, to postpone reviewing the job description of Training and Safety Officer until further notice.

Ayes, all; nays, none. Motion carried.

12. Fire Chief's report:

Chief Barnes reported:

• The Chief reported on the status of Station #2.
• The appeal of the Administrative Assistant's placement category in the newly adopted management pay plan was denied.
• There is no activity in the regionalization of fire protection services.
• City Attorney Louis Molepske is in the process of drafting the initial Aerial Aid Agreement with the Village of Plover.
• A draft has been submitted to the City Planning and Inspection Department for a recommended change in the city ordinance language to the existing ban on all outdoor furnaces.
• The aerial truck specifications committee consisting of Dahms, Baganz and Schoeberle is reviewing the first draft of the specifications.
• The draft job description for the Training and Safety Officer position has been submitted to the PFC.
• Deputy Chief Zinda and Chief Barnes have evaluated the Department's feedback and vendor quotes regarding the self contained breathing apparatus grant. Work is now in progress with FEMA to secure the additional funding.

Commissioner Meyer moved, seconded by Commissioner Taylor, at accept the Fire Chief's report for April 2008.

Ayes, all; nays, none. Motion carried.

13. Police Chief's report:

Chief Morris reported:

• The most significant event of the past thirty days was the drug raid on two community residences that produced seizure of illegal drugs, guns and cash. Detective Lawrynk worked this case intensively for several months. His efforts produced three significant arrests and made a serious impact on one distribution network that had been in place for several years.
• Strategic Direction progress update. Focus continues to be spreading information through the organization and developing background reporting capability to ensure the Department can document accomplishments. Part of the effort includes development of a patrol strategy for this summer that will emphasize alternate patrol strategies that lessen the reliance on motor patrol and increase walking and bike patrol efforts.
• The overtime grievance appears to be tentatively resolved pending an approval by the Union and PFC.
• Both the Parks Commission and the City Planning Commission have given approval to placing a new public safety communication tower on the Goerke Park campus. The council is expected to concur by approving both groups' monthly reports. The next step will be getting the item on the city borrowing schedule so that construction can start later this month.
• The Police Department budget for 2008 is being spent according to plan. To date overtime expenditures are low.
• The handgun transition is complete.
• Officer Dana Williams did such an outstanding job organizing and hosting the NAWLEE conference this past March that her peers nominated her for a scholarship to attend the national training conference in South Carolina in August of this year. She will be attending the conference on her days off.
• The Chief is meeting with Superintendent Lang and Board Member Jen Zach to develop a final plan regarding the permanent closure or decision to leave East Avenue open between Jefferson and Oak Streets. The final decision is the responsibility of the Common Council with direction from the Police Department and School District.
• The information technology program continues to see regular progress to full implementation and integration of all systems. The new personal computers have been installed throughout the work stations. DCS Netlink was the Station Two last week and hopefully solved issues blocking the implementation of Badger Tracks.
• Thanks to the efforts of many people in the Department several of the new patrol squads are up and running.

Commissioner Taylor moved, seconded by Commissioner Meyer, to approve the Police Chief's report for April 2008.

Ayes, all; nays, none. Motion carried.

14. Adjourn into Executive Session pursuant to Wis. Stats. Secs. 19.85 (1) (c) for the following:

(b) Review tentative resolution of Police Department grievance
(c) Consideration of employment status of Fire Department employees

Commissioner Meyer moved, seconded by Commissioner Taylor, to adjourn into executive session.

Ayes: Meyer, Nuck, Schleihs, Taylor
Nays: None. Motion Carried.

15. Reconvene into open session

Commissioner Meyer moved, seconded by Commissioner Nuck, to reconvene into open session.

Ayes: Meyer, Nuck, Schleihs, Taylor
Nays: None. Motion Carried.

16. Adjournment

The meeting adjourned at 7:10 p.m.

The meeting minutes reproduced on this website are derived from the computer files used to produce the official minutes for the City of Stevens Point, but are unofficial. The minutes on this web site cannot be certified under s. 889.08, Wis. Stats., and cannot be considered prima facie evidence under s. 889.04, Wis. Stats. Certain tables, maps, and other documents that are a part of the official minutes are not included in the files reproduced on this website. Please consult the printed minutes, available in the City Clerk's Office, for the official text. The decisions made by City of Stevens Point boards, committees, and commissions (other than the Police & Fire Commission) are advisory only and are not binding on the city until affirmed at a meeting of the Common Council. Some of the minutes on this web site might not be approved by the Common Council as of today.