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HomeMy WebLinkAbout12/22/1988 Council Minutes1 1 1 SPECIAL COUNCIL MEETING DECEMBER 22, 1988 A special meeting of the Lino Lakes City Council was called to order by Mayor Benson, Thursday, December 22, 1988 at 6:00 P.M. Council Members present: Neal, Bisel, Bohjanen. Members absent: Reinert. City Administrator, Randy Schumacher and Clerk- Treasurer Marilyn Anderson were also present. Mayor Benson explained the purpose of this special meeting is to discuss the Centennial Fire District. He explained that the Council has asked the Administrator to contact the administrators in Circle Pines and Centerville to discuss the possibility of the three city councils meeting to renegotiate the Joint Powers Agreement (JPA) with respect to the contribution formula as well as several other items. Mr. Schumacher explained that he has talked to representatives from Centerville and Circle Pines and both cities have approved the Fire District 1989 budget as requested by the Fire Commission. At this time the Lino Lakes Fire Department budget is at $145,000 and the Fire District request is $174,000. The Council did discuss raising the Fire Department budget to $160,000 at the last Council meeting. Mr. Schumacher noted that all cities involved agree that the JPA needs to be changed including the formula. He explained that he has prepared two letters for the Council to consider tonight. The first letter states that Lino Lakes will proceed and adopt the 1989 Centennial Fire District budget of $274,000 contingent upon the formula being renegotiated and being retroactive to January 1, 1989. The second letter states that the Lino Lakes City Council adopted a budget that is about $24,000.00 less than what was requested and encourages the other two cities to support this action. Mr. Schumacher explained that there is a second issue, that of training fire fighters and he recommended that this'City get some assurance that there will be twenty (20) to twenty five (25) trained fire fighters in the Lino Lakes station by the end of 1989. Mr. Neal told the Council that Mr. Bruen has told him that there is no way that he can guarantee twenty trained fire fighters even if the budget is fully funded. Mr. Schumacher suggested that if some assurances were not available, maybe stile Council should hold back money PAGE 1 103 10 SPECIAL COUNCIL MEETING DECEMBER 22, 1988 and be responsible for the training of the Lino Lakes fire fighters. Mr. Neal explained that if there were enough personnel the training could take place in the Lino Lakes station. There was discussion regarding recruiting the required number of fire fighters. Mr. Neal said if the Council so desired he would do this. Mayor Benson said he felt that it was the responsibility of the Fire District to recruit and train fire fighters and this City should make sure that this is done. Mayor Benson asked that the Council consider approving the Fire District budget with the contingency that any adjustment to the JPA be retroactive to January 1, 1989 and that this City require a specific number of fire fighters be trained for the Lino Lakes station. He noted that although this City would approve the budget as requested, the Lino Lakes portion should be less than what is currently in the 1989 Lino Lakes operating budget. Mayor Benson also explained that he felt each City should look at where the fire stations should be established and possibly each City buying trucks for their stations. Each city will own their own stations and equipment and there will be no questions about fire stations and equipment and the Fire District will operate each station and recruit, train and direct the fire fighting operations of the District. Mr. Bisel said he felt the real issue is training and asked what would happen if a new JPA is not reached. Mayor Benson said that assuming worst case, that would leave about six or seven months to train fire fighters in Lino Lakes. This would mean that'Lino Lakes would have to contract for some services. There was further discussion regarding assurances from the Fire Commission that there will be twenty five trained fire fighters in the Lino Lakes station by the end of 1989. Mayor Benson said he felt that Lino Lakes would not get any assurances. It was noted that all stations do not have the necessary fire fighters during the day. .Mayor Benson noted that Lino Lakes could request a report by. February 28, 1989 to see what progress there has been on this matter. There was further discussion regarding the Fire Department budget. Mr. Bisel noted that there were no checks or balances to limit the growth of the budget as with other City departments. He also -noted that whatever way this PAGE 2 1 1 t 05 SPECIAL COUNCIL MEETING DECEMBER 22, 1988 matter is settled, it will cost Lino Lakes a lot of money. However, if a new JPA can be negotiated we will have something. Mr. Bisel moved to approve the Fire District budget as recommended by the Fire Commission contigent upon all amendments to the JPA being retro- active to January 1, 1989, that monthly reports be submitted giving the names of fire fighters in training and their progress, that there be twenty five fire fighters in training for the Lino Lakes station and the proposed capital expenditures be withheld until that area is re- addressed in the JPA. Mr. Bohjanen seconded the motion. Motion carried unanimously. Mr. Bohjanen moved to adjourn at 7:02 P.M. Mr. Bisel seconded the motion. Aye. These minutes were considered and approved at a regular council meeting on January 9th 1989. ).\ � l t ,. it�ls MARILYN G. ANDERSON Clerk- Treasurer PAGE 3