01-23-2023 CC - Laserfiche WebLink

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Mounds View City Council January 9, 2023 Regular Meeting Page 2 2 7. SPECIAL ORDER OF BUSINESS 3 A. SBM Year End/Quarterly Report — Fire Chief Dan Retka. 5 Fire Chief Retka provided the Council with a year-end report from the SBM Fire Department. He 6 explained over the past 12 months he has served as the interim chief. He thanked his staff for 7 serving the community well during this time of transition. He reported he recently named Matt 8 Grant the Deputy Fire Chief. He stated 2022 was a busy year for him and noted calls for service 9 were on the rise (500 over 2021). He anticipated this would continue to occur as the population 10 ages and the population increases. He discussed how the shortage of EMT's was impacting both 11 the fire and police departments. 12 13 Fire Chief Retka noted he would be working with dispatchers in the coming year to ensure they 14 are properly dispatching police and fire resources. He stated he was proud of the fact a CAD 15 interface task force has been formed. He explained by further educating dispatchers response times 16 would be reduced. He commented further on how he was working to enhance the relationship 17 between SBM and the Lake Johanna Fire Department. He stated his focus for 2023 would be on 18 community risk reduction through education of the public. It was his hope that the number of calls 19 for service could be reduced after education was offered to the community. 20 21 Fire Chief Retka explained the department would be hiring a full time Recruitment/Retention 22 Specialist to assist with retention of firefighters. He discussed how he was working on a new 23 scheduling program which would allow volunteer firefighters to sign up for shifts. He noted he 24 hoped to roll out the new staffing program in 2024. He then commented on the contract the SBM 25 Fire Department entered into with the Centennial Fire Department. He reported he would continue 26 to act as their chief in 2023. 27 28 Fire Chief Retka discussed the 2022 budget noting for the most part he came in right on budget. 29 He commented on the adjustments that were made to the 2023 budget in order to properly capture 30 increases in the rising price for equipment and to provide funding for community education. 31 32 Council Member Meehlhause welcomed Fire Chief Retka to the SBM Fire Department. He stated 33 he looked forward to seeing the department roll out the new staffing model in the coming year. 34 35 Council Member Lindstrom welcomed Fire Chief Retka and Deputy Fire Chief Grant to the SBM 36 Fire Department. He explained he looked forward to working with both of them for the upcoming 37 Festival in the Park. 38 39 Council Member Gunn stated she appreciated seeing firefighters in her community. She looked 40 forward to having SBM a part of the upcoming Festival in the Park. 41 42 Mayor Hull thanked Fire Chief Retka for his presentation. Fire Chief Retka thanked the City 43 Council for their continued support. 44 45 8. COUNCIL BUSINESS 46 A. Community Center Expansion Exploration: