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HomeMy WebLinkAboutCEC 6-17 MinutesCITY OF FALCON HEIGHTS Community Engagement Commission City Hall 2077 West Larpenteur Avenue MINUTES June 17, 2024 at 6:30 P.M. A. CALL TO ORDER: 6:30 PM B. WELCOME: C. ROLL CALL: Karen Cooley-Kistler_X___ Julie Ebbesen__X__ Zach Lindstrom_X_ Curt Stockford_X_ Mishy Wang___ Rebecca Leighton____ Denise King_X__ STAFF PRESENT: Elke Van der Werff_X__ COUNCIL LIAISON: Melanie Leehy__X__ GUEST: Kris Grangaard_X_ D. APPROVAL OF AGENDA Motion to approve agenda – King, Unanimously approved E. PRESENTATION: F. APPROVAL OF MINUTES: 1. May 6, 2024 Joint Meeting Community Engagement Commission and Parks & Rec Commission 2. May 20, 2024 Community Engagement Commission Meeting Minutes Motion to approve – Cooley–Kistler, Second - Lindstrom G. AGENDA • Unfinished business 1. CERT Training Discussion a. Stockford – Welcome Kris Grangaard, Kris was invited as she was originally involved in the CERT Training Program and we are asking her to share her experience and what the time commitments were. b. Grangaard – Prior to Y2K there had been discussion about how neighbors can be prepared and supported. Neighborhood Security Task Force was developed over concern for Y2K infrastructure impacts. Although that was not an event in itself, the Twin Towers were hit and created concerns for other disaster responses around Falcon Heights. Knowing neighbors' needs is a concern in the event someone has life-saving equipment that could be disrupted during a power outage or something like that. Have trained approximately 140 individuals in the area. Four 3-hour classes. The first class is defining what a disaster is and how to deal with the demand for resources. Classes also include fire response, bandaging, first aid, light search & rescue, organization/disaster psychology, terrorism, and disaster simulation. Training was 1 topic per week for 9 weeks. (classes had 12-14 people) The training was taught voluntarily except for 2 years when FEMA grants were available. Now that we do not have a fire department not sure who would do the training. c. Van der Werff – We will have to check into that, The City Administrator is currently our city emergency response contact. d. Leehy – Minneapolis does not allow sharing of liaison information but we are able to have liaison to liaison lists but the city does not own that information. e. King/Stockford – the list is an opt-in f. Grangaard – The list was owned by the commission, not the city. The city did not have an active role in the training. g. Van der Werff – should not be an issue having the classes at City Hall h. Grangaard – consider having a “giveaway” like bags of preparedness materials for people who take the classes. Previously participants would register and pay $25 for the class to cover some of the costs. Will the city be willing to invest in the program? Suggests scheduling classes on a monthly basis. i. Leehy – instruction and re-certification are important so people responding know what they are supposed to do and can help manage a situation until resources arrive. j. Grangaard – there are classes available in other cities that people could attend. k. King – agrees that it is valuable to offer the instruction/re-certification for new residents/generations that could benefit l. Stockford - agrees that training has value as we do not have City emergency services, they are contracted. Understands privacy and communication challenges but if this is worth pursuing we will find a way to be sensitive to that. Believes that there are resources (funding) that are available that we just need to identify m. Leehy – CERT program works – she provides examples of when her CERT Training came in handy. n. Stockford – events may not have an adverse effect on us as individuals but it is valuable to have an organized response and if you know the kind of services neighbors need the community can take appropriate action. o. Leehy – recent situation - knowing how many people and pets are in places so you can account for people and offer aid if guardians are not available. If we can coordinate it would be healthy for the community p. Stockford – that is a key reason the neighborhood liaison program is key, to help identify the specific needs in the neighborhood. q. Cooley-Kistler – concerned about the length of meetings (3 hours) r. Leehy, Grangaard, Van der Werff – since the training is hands-on on it does not feel that long. It is a combination of video, teaching, and hands- on. s. Leehy – Falcon Heights has also participated in helping participate or plan other trainings for outside agencies including local first responders and federal organizations. t. Stockford – thanks Grangaard for the information and believes this is a valuable program. u. Grangaard – likes the idea of CERT but sees value in training of some sort. The idea of 7 straight weeks is daunting but occasional programs with this sort of training even if they are not through the CERT program. v. Stockford asks Grangaard for any suggestions on the next steps if this is a program the city would like to pursue. w. Leehy – suggests that we refer people to the Ramsey County program and possibly add smaller classes x. King – RCSO has training in the fall – 9 classes September – November y. Grangaard – suggests talking to Dan – previous trainer/FHFD z. Leehy – find someone in the city who could be a volunteer person – suggests Mark Hove. Also recommend going to Ramsey County rather than approaching Dan Powers as he is formerly with the FHFD and that could raise some concerns. aa. Stockford asks for consensus with the commission if we should pursue • Read through the FEMA materials • Contact Ramsey County to see if they can accommodate us in their current schedule or ask for training in Falcon Heights. bb. Van der Werff would need to look at the budget to see what resources we have available. cc. Action items: • Van der Werff – check budget/resources • Van der Werff – list the Ramsey County training in an upcoming newsletter • Van der Werff – research training a little more. 2. Neighborhood Liaison Handbook 3. Apartment Outreach • New Business 1. Ice Cream Social a. Van der Werff – do we want to have a table at the Ice Cream Social Do we want to create/share flyers? They can be sent to businesses, apartments, etc. b. King can help deliver flyers c. Stockford – yes, we should have a table at the Ice Cream Social. • Recruit liaisons • Ramsey County Transportation Plan 2050 – we can invite them to participate in the Ice Cream Social resource fair d. Van der Werff – will look at the list of resource participants and if we have table space we can invite the transportation plan group H. INFORMATION/ANNOUNCEMENT a. Leehy reminds the group that Restoration and Unity Day are on July 6 & 7. b. Night to Unite county meeting July 17 – Stockford and Van der Werff will attend. c. Next meeting scheduled for Monday, July 15 i. Agenda will be focused on apartment outreach – ii. Lindstrom & Ebbesen will not be in attendance. d. No August meeting e. J. ADJOURNMENT: 8:18 PM Motion to adjourn Cooley-Kistler, second - Knight Next Regular Meeting is on Monday, June 17 at 6:30 PM