Minutes - Council Work Session - 02/23/2016

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intended to be presented at a Work Session and he and Fire Chief Kapler had discussed the order of events to present. He stated that the information was presented to the City Council in a three ring binder, developed by the consultant, which also had an image of a new fire station. He explained that the picture looked like a design and plans for a new fire station and therefore the Council had trouble focusing on the other elements of the presentation. He stated that the intention of the presentation was to demonstrate the long-term plan for a fire station but focus on the current condition of the fire station. He stated that in retrospect he would have simply provided his presentation on the current condition of the station and would not have included the following along information that included the graphic. Councilmember Riley asked Mr. Kohner to provide an example of how he leads by example and how that is important in the fire sector. Mr. Kohner stressed the importance of public perception, for both police and fire, as the face of the City. He stated that leading by example means being professional at all times and not just when in uniform. He provided an example of when he held the Fire Marshal title in Ramsey and stated that when he would do inspections as a Fire Marshal he would also work to build relationships with business owners and to show the community that the Fire Department is there to help. He stated that after doing inspections for a number of years he would receive calls from businesses interested in his opinion, noting that often the calls were on a first name basis. He took pride in the fact that the businesses felt comfortable enough to call and have those conversations proactively. Councilmember Williams asked if Mr. Kohner had anything else he would like to add or whether he had questions for the Council. Mr. Kohner asked the Council if they believe there are any changes in services needed for the Fire Department in terms of the service that it provides and whether the City is receiving the necessary information from the Fire Department. Nowthen Mayor Pilon stated that he believed there is an excellent relationship, as there has been a lot of forethought and preparation in the area of emergency management. He stated that he would like to see the excellent staff and service continue and that he would like to see the recruitment of good people joining the Fire Department. Mayor Strommen stated that from her perspective the fire service is in a good place, noting that she appreciated the conversation that the City had regarding joint fire service and she is satisfied that this is the best fire service for the City. She noted that there are always additional opportunities and situations that arise and therefore adaptability is important. Councilmember Kuzma stated that he is excited to see that Mr. Kohner was involved in the implementation of the data services management and believed that experience would help Ramsey. Mr. Kohner referenced the challenges listed and asked if there were any elements that he did not address which are a concern to the City. City Council Work Session / February 23, 2016 Page4of8