Thursday, July 20, 2006
(Audio Replays of the meeting are available upon request)
A regular meeting of the Wake County Fire Commission was held on Thursday, July 20, 2006, 7 p.m., in the Wake County EMS Training Facility, lower level of the Commons Building, Carya Drive, Raleigh, North Carolina.
CALL MEETING TO ORDER
Ms. Suggs called the meeting to order.
The following members were present: Mr. Dewey Poole, Chief Tom Vaughan, Senator Vernon Malone, Chief Mark Haraway, Ms. Ann Suggs, Mr. Billy Myrick, Mr. Michael Fletcher, Ms. Sue-Lynn Hinson, Chief Chris Wilson, Mr. Rob McGraw, and Chief Tony Mauldin
Members absent were: Chief Scott McCollum, Commissioner Harold Webb, Mr. Lucius Jones, Chief Mike Cooper, and Chief Rodney Privette.
Mr. Billy Myrick gave an invocation.
APPROVAL OF AGENDA
Mr. Myrick made a motion to approve the agenda, which was seconded by Chief Haraway. The motion passed unanimously.
APPROVAL OF MINUTES
Chief Vaughan made a motion to approve the minutes of May 4, 2006, and June 13, 2006, which was seconded by Mr. Poole. The motion passed unanimously.
REGULAR agenda
POD Options – Wake County emergency management
Ray Echevarria presented two options regarding placing POD’s (package on demand units) equipped with cots in each region. Staff recommends that, if desired, small POD’s be purchased to provide cots to be used for departments within each region. Chief Vaughan made a motion to move forward with the small POD with cots for each region. Funding will be referred to the budget committee for funding and a proposal brought back to the Commission for approval. Mr. Poole seconded the motion. After some discussion, the motion passed unanimously.
COMPENSATION SUBCOMMITTEE REPORT
Ray Echevarria informed the Fire Commission that the Compensation Committee was reviewing the status of personnel obtaining certifications as contained in the Fire Service Compensation Plan. The Compensation Committee will make a report at a future meeting.
Committee appointment process
Ray Echevarria presented a list of members of the various committees. The rules of procedure regarding appointment to committees were discussed. Mr. Echevarria asked that the Commission consider formalizing steps needed to become voting members of committees. Chief Vaughan recommended that staff and Ms. Suggs establish guidelines regarding committee appointments. A proposal will be brought back to the Commission.
report from combined apparatus, budget,
and facility COMMITTEE meeting
Ray Echevarria provided a report from a combined meeting of the apparatus, budget, and facility committees. Their discussion centered on the impact of committee work associated with stations identified in the Fire Service Long Range Business Plan for closure evaluation. The committee made the following three recommendations:
1. Operating budget issues: Continue funding to maintain service. All expansion requests will be closely reviewed.
Facility related issues: Do only work that is necessary to maintain service. Not all work will be completed, and each item will be evaluated individually to identify need.
Apparatus replacement issues: Each apparatus or vehicle due for replacement will be evaluated individually to determine need.
Mr. Myrick made a motion to accept the recommendations as proposed, seconded by Mr. Poole. The motion passed unanimously.
APPARATUS COMMittee
Chief Woods presented a report from the apparatus committee. Pumper/Tankers for FY07 have been ordered. Bids received for the replacement brush trucks were too high; therefore, the specifications have been revised and are being sent out for re-bidding. Service truck specifications are being developed and are expected to be completed in about two months.
Garner FD has requested that one of their pumpers be replaced ahead of the planned replacement shown in the schedule due to excessive mileage and high maintenance costs. Chief Mitchell presented background on the request for the early replacement of the 1998 Pierce with 84,000 miles. The County’s share of the apparatus cost will be approximately $128,000 (due to cost-sharing with the Town of Garner). Chief Vaughan recommended that the proportion of the proceeds from the sale of the existing apparatus be returned to the capital fund. After discussion, Chief Vaughan made a motion that the vehicle be replaced early, contingent on Garner Fire Department’s return of 45% of the proceeds from the sale of the existing apparatus. Mr. Poole seconded the motion, which passed unanimously.
Senator Malone suggested that this type of situation be developed into a procedure to handle these situations in the future.
FACILITY COMMittee
Mr. Myrick reported that the facility committee recommended various repairs to Western Wake Stations 1 and 2. The recommended repairs were not cosmetic and were necessary for continued operation. Chief Mauldin made a motion, seconded by Mr. Poole, to approve the repairs. The motion passed unanimously.
budget committee
Chief Vaughan reported that the committee recommended that the merit increases for FY 07 be extended to provide funding for 12 months of the year, from nine months as budgeted. The committee also recommended that funding be set aside for part-time merit increases, pending a report from the compensation committee. Regarding the air bottle replacement program, the committee recommended that any unused funds be moved to the small capital budget.
Mr. Myrick discussed the practice of funding merit increases for nine months of each year (for the past two years). The committee’s recommendation increases the funding to twelve months for FY 2007, but not for FY 2006. Mr. Myrick stated that the departments should be provided with the missing three months of merit funding from FY 2006.
Mr. Poole made a motion that merit increases for the FY 2007 be funded for twelve months. Seconded by Mr. Myrick, the motion passed unanimously.
Chief Mauldin made a motion, seconded by Chief Haraway that paragraph 3.5 be referred to attorneys to clarify how it applies in determining merit pay. The motion passed unanimously.
Mr. Myrick made a motion that the County go back to FY 06 and determine how much money was not appropriated in FY 06 for merit pay and pay departments that amount. The motion was seconded by Senator Malone. The motion failed.
INFORMATION AGENDA
CHAIR REPORT
No report.
FIRE/RESCUE SERVICES DIRECTOR REPORT
Ray Echevarria presented a report from the turnout gear committee. The committee is working to develop this year’s specifications.
Ray also presented a Web-based calendar of Fire Commission committee meetings. Instructions were distributed to access the calendar.
OTHER BUSINESS
Ben Canada introduced Cheryl Reed as a new budget analyst with Wake County’s Budget and Management Services Department. Cheryl will be working with the fire departments in coming years.
Assistant Chief David Williams of the Wake Forest Fire Department asked that merit increases for Wake Forest Fire Department be revisited, since funding for merit increases was not included.
Mr. Poole announced that he would not be renewing his appointment in October
PUBLIC COMMENTS
None
Adjournment
The next regular meeting of the Wake County Fire Commission is scheduled for Thursday, September 21, 2006.