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Minutes January 5 <br />Shared Fire Service Study Group <br />Minutes from January 5 Meeting <br />Attendees: Matt Hylen (St Francis), Jerry Tveit (St Francis), Kevin Robinson (Oak Grove), Curt Hallermann (Oak Grove), Mark Quackenbush (Oak <br />Grove), Kurt Ulrich (Ramsey), Dean Kapler (Ramsey/Nowthen/St Francis), David Arcand (Bethel), Bill Schulz (Nowthen), Kim Swenson (St <br />Francis), Jason Tossey (Ramsey), Brian Kirkham (Bethel), Shane Swedeen (Ramsey), Richard Wiitala (Bethel), Todd Miller (Bethel), Harlan Meyer <br />(Nowthen) <br />Guests: Chief Nyle Zikmund of SBM Fire and Scott Crandall West Metro Fire <br />Introductions <br />Introductions were made around the room <br />Presentation by guests: <br />Chief Scott Crandall West Metro <br />• Gave his background in fire service, came from city of Crystal, gave demographics of each community (3 stations, 46,000 population, 1541 calls <br />for service annually, provides basis EMS services along with all fire responses) <br />• Process took about 7 years, in 1998 decided to form a fire district <br />• Discussed the Board of Governance <br />• Meets quarterly with board <br />• Has worked for years to send the "right" response to incidents <br />• District currently in a bit of a "muck". A good strong governance document is necessary to avoid problems in future. <br />• Annual budget has been reduced each of the past 4 years. Currently at 1.8 million. <br />Chief Nyle Zikmund SBM Fire <br />• SBM organized in 1944 as a non-profit fire corporation <br />• Discussed the populations of each community with Blaine the largest at +70% <br />• Works under a contract with each community <br />• Joint Powers Agreement is 50% market value and 50% call volume <br />• Board of Directors made up of appointments from each council with Blaine having more members due to population and % of contract. No <br />elected officials on the board or full-time city employees <br />• Operates out of 4 fire stations, recently closed 2 stations and built others <br />Questions by Group: <br />• Term of SBM contract: 10 year with automatic continuation <br />• Both Chiefs agreed that a clause in contract to make getting out very costly will push communities to work through their differences <br />• JPA may not save operational costs, but will on capital equipment costs <br />• West Metro: Factors of concern; philosophical differences between communities has been an issue, currently using a 3rd party to resolve. <br />Community response has been much better by utilizing resources better <br />• SBM Factors of concern: Conflict back in 90-91 dealing with buying new stations and equipment. Had to fall back to JPA to resolve some <br />personnel issues <br />• Both Chiefs agreed to needing to give the Fire Chief unprecedented support to work with the other communities <br />• Governance Board must be the conduit of communication to individual councils <br />• West Metro: When dealing with power and control, problems are typically with the local politicians <br />• The Board of Directors/Governance Body must have the power to govern the agreement (Copy of Governance agreement will be sent to all <br />members of the study group) <br />• Pension issues: SBM's relief never changed. Chief Zikmund stated there are a number of options to use and all can be very equitable. There is <br />also a state wide plan to look into. (West Metro) agreed to bring one communities pension program up to the level of the other at the <br />beginning of the agreement. <br />25 <br />