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MINUTES <br />CITY COUNCIL <br />JUNE 22, 2009 <br />Vehicle repair costs; <br />Uniform purchases; <br />Replacement of one radio. <br />Steve Morelan reported that the Fire Department does not intentionally <br />understate the Budget, but noted that they have overspent their budget for <br />the last several years. He pointed out the $14,560 ofnon-budgeted items <br />that the Fire Department paid for in 2008 from other funding sources. <br />Therefore, the Department overspent by approximately $15,000. Morelan <br />noted that if the Department's other funding source (charitable gambling) <br />goes away, the Department will either have to reduce expenses, increase <br />its funding request from the City, or a combination of the two. Blesener <br />asked if part of the reason for being over budget was that the Department <br />piroceeded with purchases that could have been delayed. Morelan agreed <br />that this was a large part of it. Blesener noted that 2010 will be a tough <br />budget year. Montour asked what the average expense was fbr the <br />Department to go out on a fire call. Steve Morelan estimated the cost at <br />$250 per call. <br />Blesener asked how the new dispatch center was working. The Fire Chief <br />felt it was working well and anticipated that the wor]<ing situation will <br />become even more positive in the future. He noted, however, that there <br />has been some personal touch lost as dispatching now covers a larger <br />geographical area. There was discussion of response time, vld Smiley <br />indicated that the goal is to have a 90 second time from when a call comes <br />in and units are dispatched. I-Ie estimated the average at 120 seconds. The <br />dispatch center is continuing to review procedures to reduce that time. <br />Montour asked about recovering costs for responding to freeway <br />accidents. The City Administrator indicated that the City can bill those <br />costs, but historically there have been difficulties with insurance <br />compa~ries over payment. Currently, Vadnais Heights bills for freeway <br />responses to non-residents. The Administrator indicated that he would <br />check with Vadnais Heights on their procedures and collection rate. <br />T'he Council thanked the Fire Department for their annual report. <br />There being no further business, the meeting was adjourned at 7:16 p.m. <br />~-~'~ __ <br />i~liam B1 ener, Mayor <br />Attest: <br />Joe .Hanson, City Administrator <br />