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LAKE ELMO CITY COUNCIL MINUTES FEBRUARY 3, 2004 5 <br />10. CITY ATTORNEY’S REPORT: Attorney Filla asked for a ten minute Closed Executive Session after the adjournment of <br />the regular council meeting to discuss a proposed settlement on property complaints. <br /> <br />11. CITY ADMINISTRATOR’S REPORT: A. Fire Dept. Officer Selection <br /> <br />The Acting Administrator reported that on December 2, 2003 the Council tabled a <br />proposal by Fire Chief Malmquist, endorsed in concept by the Acting City Administrator, to modify the historic and current process of selecting Fire Department offices. The <br />department internal election of officers (Chief, District Chiefs and Captains), and <br />confirming appointments by the Council would be replaced by a process similar to that of <br />the City regarding any other employee or supervisor—a recommendation to the Council <br />by the City Administrator, and appointment by the Council in keeping with Section 200 of the City Code. Rather than serving for specified terms, all department officers would <br />serve until discharged by the Council, again at the recommendation of the City <br />Administrator, and in keeping with Section 200 of the City Code. <br /> <br />The Council had tabled a motion to adopt the new selection process to allow time for the Fire Department staff to respond to the proposed selection procedure by an internal vote <br />to amend the Department By-laws to that effect. <br /> <br />Fire Chief Malmquist advised that the By-law amendment vote by Fire Department staff <br />took place on January 20, 2004. With 18 staff voting (of over 25 total Officers and Firefighters active in the department), the outcome was 8-10 to not modify the By-laws in <br />keeping with the proposed modification to the office selection procedure—departmental <br />election of officers remains in the department By-laws. <br /> <br />The Council again endorsed the new selection process to be consistent with the process similar to that of the city regarding any other employee or supervisor. Mayor Hunt stated <br />he would be in favor of an interactive workshop with the department as long as it didn’t <br />turn into a gripe session. <br /> <br />Attorney Filla noted the City would have to do some massaging of the City code. The by-laws deal with many things besides the selection of Fire Chief. The by-laws are still a <br />working document and by abandoning these laws, he had a concern as to what kind of <br />impact this would be on a paid-on-call Fire Department. <br /> <br />M/S/P Johnston/DeLapp – direct the staff to come back to the February 17th Council meeting with recommendation on how the Council would adopt the new selection process <br />proposed by the Fire Chief while maintaining the general framework of the existing by- <br />laws. (Motion passed 5-0). <br /> <br />Council member Dunn asked that Chief Malmquist find the SOG’s the Fire Department Study Committee had worked on to be placed in a book form. <br />