HomeMy WebLinkAbout2009.05.20 CC Minutes - Relief Assoc WorkshopCITY OF HUGO
HUGO FIRE FIGHTERS RELIEF ASSOCIATION WORKSHOP
WEDNESDAY, MAY 20, 2009 at 7:00 PM
HUGO FIRE HALL
MEETING MINUTES
Acting Mayor Becky Petryk called the meeting to order at 7:08 p.m.
Present: Haas, Petryk, Weidt, Miron (7:10)
Absent: Klein
Also Present: City Administrator Mike Ericson, Finance Director Ron Otkin, Fire Chief
Jim Compton, Firefighters Tony Bronk, Jim Compton, Jr., Kevin Colvard, Tim Lorinser,
and Dave Jenson
The Hugo City Council met with the Hugo Firefighters Relief Association to discuss the
role the Association plays in providing benefits to firefighters who are paid per call and
who volunteer their time to the City of Hugo. The Relief Association has been in
existence since 1939 and reports to the State of Minnesota.
President of the Hugo Firefighters Relief Association Tony Bronk provided the Council
with a PowerPoint Presentation explaining the purpose of the Relief Association and the
roles of the officers and the City of Hugo. The Association is made up of nine members
including 3 ex -officio members: Fire Chief (Jim Compton), Mayor or Designee (Chuck
Haas) and Finance Director (Ron Otkin). In short, the association is charged with
providing authorized benefits to plan participants and beneficiaries.
Tony spoke about issues including size of department, square miles covered, call volume,
average pension amount, City contribution, pay and average medical calls versus fire
calls. He then spoke about retention and issues related to it which Council was very
interested in. The City has an employee recognition program and tuition reimbursement
program which some of the members were unaware of. Members acknowledged that the
transition of the department to BLS ambulance service in evenings has raised some issues
with the firefighters.
After excellent discussion by the Council and the department, Mayor Fran Miron agreed
to schedule another workshop with the Hugo Fire Department Relief Association to listen
to concerns from the entire department. Staff agreed to work with Tony to schedule it on
a training night for the third Tuesday in July or August.
Petryk made motion, Weidt seconded, to adjourn at 8:40 p.m.
Respectfully Submitted,
Michael A. Ericson
City Administrator