HomeMy WebLinkAboutItem 9 - Public Safety Committee Guidelines Memo
MAYOR & COUNCIL COMMUNICATION
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DATE: 11/06/2013 CONSENT ITEM #: 9
AGENDA ITEM: Creation of Administrative Committees / Public Safety SUBMITTED BY: Dean Zuleger, City Administrator
THROUGH: Mayor Mike Pearson
REVIEWED BY: Dean Zuleger, City Administrator
SUGGESTED ORDER OF BUSINESS:
- Introduction of Item .............................................................. City Administrator
- Report/Presentation…………………………………………City Administrator
- Questions from Council to Staff ............................................. Mayor Facilitates
- Public Input, if Appropriate .................................................... Mayor Facilitates
- Call for Motion ............................................................... Mayor & City Council
- Discussion ....................................................................... Mayor & City Council
- Action on Motion .................................................................... Mayor Facilitates
SUMMARY AND ACTION REQUESTED: To further improve the operations of the City of Lake Elmo government, the City Council will create an administrative committees under the general provisions of the Lake Elmo Code of Ordinances. The Public Safety Committee will review the operations of the Fire Department, the service contracts with Washington County Sheriff’s Department (police), and the Humane Office Contract as part of the public safety
operations of the City. As part of its consent agenda, no formal action is required. If council removes this item from Consent, the recommended motion is as follows: “Move to create the City of Lake Elmo Public Safety Committee and adopt the attached operational guidelines.” In addition, Staff recommends appointing two of the three Lake Elmo residents to the Lake Elmo Public Safety Committee with the following motion: “Move to appoint Dave Moore and Al Bevers to the Lake Elmo Public Safety Committee as two of the three Lake Elmo residents.”
City Council Meeting [Consent Agenda Item 9 ]
November 6, 2012
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BACKGROUND INFORMATION: Most statutory cities in Minnesota are organized with a committee structure that encompasses six main areas: Finance, Public Works, Public Safety, Human Resources, Parks, and Land Use (aka Planning Commission). For the most part, the Lake Elmo City Council has taken in upon itself to act as a Committee of the Whole in the area of Finance, Public Works, Public Safety and Parks – often using regular Council Meetings to
accomplish the work of traditional municipal committees. This type of oversight has led to longer meetings, and perhaps, cursory reviews of critical issues in each of these five disciplines. In 2013, the Finance Committee and the Human Resources Committee have been established and are in their infant stages of development. At the Mayor’s request it is now being recommended
that a Public Safety Committee be established as well. STAFF REPORT: With the City of Lake Elmo poised to embark on a period of mandated growth, the proper provision for public safety must be reviewed and analyzed as policing and fire
services historically make up a large part of municipal budgets. With three main areas of growth
(I94, Old Village and Open Space Rural) being considered, the size and scope of the operations of all public safety functions needed to be metered to serve the growth. The creation of a Public Safety Committee will help to evaluate staffing, equipping, and infrastructure needs in the areas of police, fire, and humane services. If appropriate, Building Inspections and Code Enforcement
could also be placed under the purview of the Public Safety Committee.
RECOMMENDATION: Based on the aforementioned information, the City Staff recommends the following action:
“Move to create the City of Lake Elmo Public Safety Committee and adopt the attached
operational guidelines.” In addition, Staff recommends appointing two of the three Lake Elmo residents to the Lake Elmo Public Safety Committee with the following motion:
“Move to appoint Dave Moore and Al Bevers to the Lake Elmo Public Safety Committee as
two of the three Lake Elmo residents.” ATTACHMENTS: 1. Public Safety Committee Guidelines