HomeMy WebLinkAboutAgenda Packets - 2014/12/01 (2)
CITY OF MOUNDS VIEW
CITY COUNCIL WORK SESSION AGENDA
MOUNDS VIEW CITY HALL
Monday, December 1, 2014
7:00 p.m.
REVISED AS OF DECEMBER 1, 2014, AT 815AM
ROLL CALL: Flaherty, Gunn, Hull, Meehlhause, Mueller
PUBLIC COMMENT
Citizens may speak to issues not on tonight’s agenda. Before speaking, please give your
full name and address for the minutes. Also, please limit your comments to three minutes.
Agenda Items Discussed by Consensus
1. Review County Road 10 / County Road H / I-35W Improvements (Ramsey County)
2. Anoka County Fire protection Council (ACFPC) Presentation by SBM Fire Chief Nyle
Zikmund
3. Volunteer Program Update
4. Review All Funds Budgets for 2015
5. Review Public Works Director Job Description
Next Work Session: Monday, January 5, 2014, at 7pm
Next City Council Meeting: Monday, December 8, 2014, at 7pm
REVISED AS OF DECEMBER 1, 2014, AT 815AM
Item No: 1
Meeting Date: December 1, 2014
Type of Business: Work Session
Administrator Review: ____
City of Mounds View Staff Report
To: Honorable Mayor and City Council
From: Nick DeBar, Director of Public Works/City Engineer
Item Title/Subject: Review County Road 10 / County Road H / I-35W Improvements
(Ramsey County)
Background/Discussion:
The I-35W corridor north and south of I-694 will be busy with reconstruction of four bridges during
the 2015 and 2016 season. The County Road F bridge and Highway 96 bridge/interchange
improvements will occur in 2015, followed by the County Road E2 and County Road H
bridge/interchange in 2016.
Ramsey County Public Works has taken the lead agency role from Mn/DOT for these projects and
has been busy with planning and design. I have been involved in this process as a member of the
Project Management Team (PMT), which also includes technical staff from Mn/DOT, FHWA,
Arden Hills, New Brighton, Ramsey County Parks and Rec., Metro Transit, RCWD, and
engineering consultants. The PMT meets regularly each month.
Beth Engum, Project Manager at Ramsey County Public Works, will be present to conduct a
presentation for this item discussing and updating the City Council of the work to date and the
preferred layout for the I-35W/County Road H/County Road 10 bridge and intersection
improvements. The City Council will be able to ask questions and provide input to the proposed
improvements.
Respectfully submitted,
Nick DeBar
Director of Public Works/City Engineer
Anoka County Fire Protection Council
The Anoka County Fire Protection Council was formed back in the 70’s. The Anoka County Fire
Protection Council meets on the last Thursday of January, April, July, and October. The meeting
locations are rotated alphabetically by department. Annual dues have always been collected from the
departments to fund various events such as training, education booth at the Anoka County Fair,
equipment for some of the ongoing programs, etc. Spring Lake Park Fire Department is currently the
fiscal agent for the Fire Protection Council.
Fire Academy
The fire academy provides firefighter I, II, and hazmat operations training for new recruits. The
academy is 176 hours of training provided by instructors from the departments within the
county. There are three Directors in charge of the academy Andover Fire Chief Jerry Streich,
Coon Rapids Captain Tim Gilsrud, and SBM Deputy Fire Chief Harlan Lundstrom. Centennial Fire
District obtained a 4 year grant 2 years ago which covers the costs of gear, physicals, books,
$500 recruitment incentive, and EMT training. The Minnesota Board of Firefighter Training
Education reimburses the academy $1200/ firefighter that completes the training and
certification testing.
Vision
1. To establish a county‐wide fire training academy that would provide consistent firefighter task
and skill level training based off current standards, policies, and best practices.
2. Provide basic level training using classroom and field environment evolutions.
3. Establish a consistent, well‐defined training program for basic level skills to include safety, radio
procedures, incident command, PAR, and vehicle operations.
4. To create a training governing board that reviews basic level training, funding, and future
initiatives.
5. To provide qualified instructors that would enhance the learning environment.
6. To reduce and share costs for training equipment, gear, housing, payroll and the like.
7. To establish specific times in which basic level training will occur throughout the year.
8. To enhance the firefighters experience by training with other cities.
9. To enhance the firefighters experience by introducing them to county‐wide resources.
10. To provide fire departments with a better trained and prepared firefighter.
Fire Investigation Team (ACFIT)
The Anoka County Fire Investigation Team (ACFIT) was formally established in October of 2005.
Planning for the team came a year or so prior. The concept of the team was to build collaboration
amongst fire, law enforcement, and others to better determine the origin and cause of fire and
explosion scenes within Anoka County.
Prior to the team being formed, local officials were on their own when it came to determining the right
o/c which often took a lot of time and effort OR it simply was not done.
Anoka County Fire Protection Council
Today the ACFIT has become a model for other county teams such as Hennepin, Washington, Dakota,
Sherburne, Albert Lea, and Ramsey. Others contact the team on a regular basis for information and
forms.
The team consists of approximately 30 members from local fire and police agencies as well as a
member from the State Fire Marshal’s Office and the ATF. We are also fortunate to have a County
Attorney assigned to our team which is unheard of in other teams. This quite frankly has made our
conviction rates such a success. To be able to process a scene and have the attorneys’ office take the
case and win is a great success!
We have complete support from the County Sheriff, County Attorney, Medical Examiner’s Office and
local officials.
The true success of the team is attributed to the men and women who are part of the team. The long
hours working in tough conditions are not always pleasant but they arrive ready to work and
determine the cause for those that call on our services. To be able to process a scene and have the
attorneys’ office take the case and win is a great success!
Fire Intervention Program (FIP)
It is a group of agencies within Anoka County who came together in 1993 to deal with the issues
of juvenile firesetting. This group is called the Anoka County Juvenile Firesetters Task Force. They have
developed a fire intervention program for juvenile firesetting. The program is educational in nature
with information that will carry into their adulthood and make for a fire safe life. Parents are
encouraged to attend.
The class is taught by firefighters on the third Saturday of each month except December. It is four and
one half hours in length and runs from 8 a.m. to 12:30p.m. The class is held at Lino Lakes Correctional
Facility. The cost of the class is $50 for Anoka County residents, $60 for nonresidents.
CAD/RMS
The Anoka County Joint Law Enforcement Council (JLEC), in partnership with the Anoka County Fire
Protection Council, and the Board’s Public Safety Committee unanimously approved a contract on October 30.
2013 to purchase a new CAD/RMS System. The new public safety data system will replace old and outdated
systems, into one integrated and all‐encompassing system that combines Anoka County’s 11 law enforcement
agencies, 15 fire departments, jail, and 911 Center that assists all 21 Anoka County communities. Fire
departments will be using FDM Software for Fire Records and TriTechs CAD/Mobile in the apparatus. The cost
of maintaining the system will be spread across all departments based on each departments average 5 year call
volume, population, Market value.
Technical Rescue
The Special Rescue Team is made up of firefighters from various departments that provide
confined space rescue, high angle rescue, structural collapse, and trench rescue. The Fire Protection
Council has provided some funding for equipment needed by the rescue team.
Anoka County Fire Protection Council
Committees
Standards Committee – This committee develops standard operating guidelines that will impact
when the departments provide mutual aid to each other.
Technology – Provides information on the latest innovations in technology.
Radio – Addresses radio communications issues.
Support Services
The Fire Protection Council invites agencies that support the fire service in some way;
Central Communications
MN DNR
Anoka County Sheriff’s Office
MN State Fire Chiefs Association
MN State Fire Department Association
Red Cross
Salvation Army
Allina
Anoka County Dispatch – Computer Aided Dispatch (CAD)
Anoka County has been recognized as a state and national leader for over three decades with
respect to public safety dispatch. Central Communications or 2800 as they are known by their
call sign has been dispatching police, fire, sheriff and EMS from one center as a single entity
under Anoka County Government. To put that in perspective; both Hennepin and Ramsey
County had more than a dozen dispatch centers (combined) to accomplish the same.
Approximately three years ago the dispatch center indicated they would need to update and
upgrade the Computer Aided Dispatch (CAD) portion of their operation as the software was
outdated and no longer supported. Thus, a decision had to be made on what software should
be purchased. The new CAD system will have a number of new features such as Automatic
Vehicle Location (AVL), allowing everyone on the system to see the location of every unit. This
will assist in numerous areas from officer safety to fire command having a better grasp of
arrival time of incoming units.
The software will also include mapping and best routing which for the volunteer departments,
especially those in growing cities; will provide greater ease and reduced response times given
the number of new roads and complexity of some developments.
Anoka County Fire Protection Council
Records Management System (RMS)
Simultaneously, the Joint Law Enforcement Council (JLEC) had been discussing and researching
improvements to their information sharing for greater efficiencies amongst enforcement
agencies as well integrating better with the Sheriff’s office and the jail. Given the frequent
interaction between law enforcement and fire agencies and the significant data we collect
(such as pre‐plan information, hazard location, etc.) the decision was made to explore a county
wide Records Management System thus allowing public safety agencies in the county to better
share critical information regarding properties and property owners.
Upon completion of the request for proposal and subsequent selection; Fire Department
Management or FDM software was selected by the search committee. SBM Fire has purchased
FDM back in the summer of 2003 and thus, we are very familiar with it.
FDM Software was chosen as it is the most robust and versatile fire records management
software available on the market. SBM and the cities we serve will benefit from the following
changes/upgrades:
1. The county program includes all modules, most notably inspections which SBM did
not purchase. This module will allow us to utilize numerous features within the
module when we contract or assist our contract cities with inspections.
2. The AVL and Mapping in the CAD system is linked to FDM and will provide greater
access to our pre‐plan data, previous response activity, inspection activity and any
other hazard information that has been collected. This information will also be
available to our police departments.
3. The fiscal share of the annual maintenance is slightly higher than we are paying
currently, however, we now get all modules.
4. As a county wide system, we will have a greater ability to utilize the versatility and
custom features given our shared efforts with special rescue, fire investigation, etc.
5. A support technician may be required. If so, the cost sharing formula results in SBM
paying 17% of the share. Given our experience and familiarity with the system, we
will be the best qualified agency to hire and employ this individual who we can have
serve as another much needed day‐time responder. The remaining salary will be
paid by the partner city departments.
Joint Powers Agreement
Currently, the Fire Protection Council has no legal standing; we are basically a club. SBM has
been acting as the fiscal agent to manage the funds we receive from dues, the fire academy,
and the Juvenile Intervention Program. Leadership is elected amongst the member
departments.
With the purchase of the FDM software, the vision for the academy, and the need to migrate to
more shared services – the Council explored options and determined that the best option to
create a legal entity was via a Joint Powers Agreement.
Anoka County Fire Protection Council
The primary issues are purchasing/ownership and liability. While the initial FDM (and law
enforcement records) purchase was county funded via a bond sale that JLEC promulgated and
advocated. The operation and maintenance will be JLEC or Fire Council responsibilities
respectively. Thus, a need to have a legal entity to own and be able to ensure operation.
The SBM maintenance share is $17,306 or 17.9%. The formula is three parts composed of a 5
year average of calls, population and market value. The cities respective shares are;
Blaine ‐ $12,973 or 13.4%
Mounds View ‐ $2,842 or 2.9%
Spring Lake Park ‐ $1,413 or 1.5%
The same is true for our fire academy, investigation teams, etc. By becoming a legal entity we
have the ability to “own” and thus insure. Furthermore, as a JPA we will be protected by tort
immunity laws and insured by the League of Minnesota Cities Insurance Trust.
Along with these benefits will be our ability to enroll non‐affiliated or non‐Anoka County Fire
Department recruit candidates in our academy classes which will allow us the ability to
continue with predictable scheduling and generate revenue.
The proposed JPA is modeled after the Law Enforcement Councils in that elected officials have a
seat on the board. The proposed voting formula is bifurcated with a demarcation point based
on am expenditure threshold of $50,000. If under this threshold, the Chief of each department
casts a ballot of equal share. If over this threshold, the elected official casts a ballot of
weighted share that is equal to the formula distribution detailed in the maintenance cost
sharing.
Item No: 3
Meeting Date: December 1, 2014
Type of Business: Work Session
Administrator Review: _____
City of Mounds View Staff Report
To: Honorable Mayor and City Council
From: Desaree Crane, Assistant City Administrator
Item Title/Subject: Volunteer Program Update
The City recently received a grant in the amount of $2,000 from the Minnesota Association for
Volunteer Administration (MAVA). In accordance with the provisions of the grant, MAVA and
the City are required to provide the following below. Receptionist/Recycling Coordinator Mary
Springer and I have started the process of developing a City of Mounds View Volunteer
Program. Mary Springer and I have completed some of the items, which are identified in
purple.
• A grant check in the amount of $2,000. The City has received this grant check.
• Complementary attendance for up to two (2) staff to attend the MAVA Volunteer Impact
Leadership Series and other full or part day workshops MAVA offers during the grant
period at no cost. (Grant period is September 1, 2014 – August 30, 2015).
Mary Springer and I attended the MAVA Volunteer Impact Leadership Series on
October 22nd and 23rd. Attached is information on the series.
Mary Springer and I also attended a workshop called The Relative Impact Return
on Investment (ROI) Model on Friday November 21st. Attached is information on
the workshop.
• Up to four (4) hours of MAVA consulting time for your volunteer program.
Mary Springer and I have not used the consulting time yet. Staff is still in the
process of identifying areas of where volunteers would be effective.
• A complementary MAVA membership for the period of the grant, renewable at the end of
the grant period.
The City of Mounds View is a member of MAVA.
As a condition of the grant, the City agreed to:
• Submit a brief work plan for City volunteer engagement by November 1, 2014. (An
update on the work plan submitted in the proposal).
In November, Mary Springer and I submitted the following brief work plan to
MAVA:
o City Staff has a meeting with the City Council on December 1st to
help identify areas where City volunteers can be useful.
Item 03
Monday, December 1, 2014
Work Session
Page 2
o City Staff will be starting the process in early January to do a
marketing Public Service Announcement (PSA) campaign on the
City's cable access channel on City Volunteerism.
o As soon as areas are identified where City volunteers could be
useful, then the City will develop volunteer job descriptions.
o Advertise for City volunteers.
• Participate in 3-4 phone meetings with other pilot sites to share progress and learn from
each other.
Mary Springer and I will be participating in our first phone meeting in early
January.
• Submit a brief report on the initial lessons learned by March 31, 2015.
• Submit at least three documents used in the volunteer program with permission for
MAVA to share those with other cities by August 1, 2015.
• Submit a brief final report by September 30, 2015. MAVA will provide a report format.
The report would include progress on the work plan, number of volunteers involved and
departments utilizing volunteer during the grant period, the results of short two/three
question survey given to 3-5 volunteers and/or City staff on results of the effort, lessons
learned and feedback on what resources were the helpful to your city.
• Do a brief pre and post assessment of volunteer engagement.
• Respond to a follow up phone call two years after grant period on volunteer program
Mary Springer and I have identified some areas where volunteers would be very useful. Some
areas include: landscaping City Hall, cable channel talent, cleaning park buildings, Mounds
View Festival in the Park Committee, City Commission and Committees, and assisting in record
keeping/archiving documents, to name a few. As part of the grant requirement and brief work
plan provided to MAVA, Staff would like some direction from the City Council on other areas
where volunteers would make an effective impact on the City. After receiving feedback from the
City Council, Staff will start developing volunteer job descriptions. These volunteer job
descriptions are essential in identifying the responsibilities and requirements of the job.
Defining duties and responsibilities helps the City assess the risk to the volunteers and the City
so that they can be addressed, minimized or eliminated. When completed, Staff will have the
City Council review these volunteer job descriptions before City advertising and a marketing
plan begins.
Respectfully Submitted,
Desaree Crane