RUSK COUNTY EMERGENCY SERVICES
Meeting Minutes
Wednesday, April 11, 2012
PRESENT:
Members – Arian Knops, Phil Schneider, Jim Schultz and Eldon Skogen
Others – Sheriff Kaminski, Chief Deputy Hahn, Emergency Services Director Hall, Coroner Ewert, Jim Rassbach, Mike Hraban
ABSENT:
Members –David Willingham
MEETING CALLED TO ORDER
Skogen called the meeting to order at 8:00 a.m.
APPROVAL OF AGENDA
Knops/Schultz motion to approve the agenda; motion carried.
APPROVAL OF MARCH 14, 2012 MEETING MINUTES
Schultz/Knops motion to approve the minutes; motion carried.
RUSK COUNTY EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT/AMBULANCE DIRECTOR PRESENTATION
1.Director Hall presented the March 2012 monthly report. Upcoming trainings were previously approved. Discussion about the computer for Ambulance Squad 253 was tabled for next month.
Hall discussed the First Responder call pay issue. The current call rate is $6.50for First Responders to respond for calls and is not enough to even cover the cost of their gas for going to those calls. Hall advised that the EM/AD budget should have funds to cover increasing the rate to $8.00. Knops/Schneider motion to request First Responder call pay rate be increased to $8.00 [retroactive to 1/1/2012] and forwarded to Finance for review/approval; motion carried.
Schneider/Knopsmotion to approve the monthly report and payment of bills; motion carried.
RUSK COUNTY CORONER PRESENTATION
1.Coroner Ewert presented the March 2012 monthly report. Ewert had two medical bills for the committee to review. There were 4 natural deaths in March [2 were hospice and 1 accidental] and 3 cremations. One medical autopsy was also ordered.
Schneider/Knops motion to approve the monthly report and payment of bills; motion carried.
RUSK COUNTY SHERIFF PRESENTATION
1. Sheriff Kaminski advised that the Rogers’ lawsuit was settled by the County accepting the settlement offer. Sheriff Kaminski has also been in contact with Representative Mary Williams and WI DOC regarding trying to change the wording/statutes so that Rusk and other WI Counties don’t incur the same issues.
Sheriff Kaminski presented the March 2012 monthly report. Various trainings were attended in Marchby: Brunner, Bugbee, Egle, Grassmann, Gronski, Jandrt, Majeskie, Ohmstead, Poppe and Stone. Upcoming training was requested for: Ahneman, Brunner, Buehler, Duchnowski, Kaminski, Nitek, Read and Seemann. Sheriff Kaminski also requested to have a couple RUSO Deputies/Investigators attend training in St. Paul for Wireless Telecommunications for Law Enforcement [no fee to attend that one day training.] Sheriff Kaminski also requested to attend the National Sheriff’s Conference in Nashville, TN in June as he has acquired a $1,000 scholarship to cover the costs of the conference fee and lodging. Schneider/Knops motion to approve the requested trainings; motion carried.
Sheriff Kaminski attended various meetings. The calls for service and inmate housing reports were reviewed along with the Finance payment approvals and overtime reports. Knops/Schultz motion to approve the monthly report and bills; motion carried.
The new Part Time Patrol position is in the process of being filled with a potential start date of May 1, 2012.
Jim Rassbach from Rassbach Communications addressed the committee regarding new tower space becoming available on the Flambeau Hill Tower [Chippewa County] that could potentially increase Rusk County’s portable transmitting coverage for the southern part of Rusk County just west of Sheldon to the Chain Lakes area [which currently has areas of limited/no coverage at this time.] Rassbach submitted a proposal for a New Emergency Services Communications Repeater Site and advised that the proposed tower site lease would be $238/month [after setup and install] which is a considerably cheaper rate than what most tower space is currently going for. Knops/Schultz motion to approve potential acquisition of the Flambeau Hill Tower lease if it’s determined that funds are available for the install project.
Sheriff Kaminski also advised that in relation to the Flambeau Hill Tower, the dispatching consoles in the Rusk County Dispatch Center are in dire need of replacement. The consoles are 14+ years old and have been continuously hindered by lightning strikes. Replacement parts are no longer available for them but Jim Rassbach noted that Motorola does have a trade-in program being offered for theseobsolete consoles along with a low interest loan option. Sheriff Kaminski advised the committee that at the Finance Meeting next week, Rassbach Communications will be there to discuss replacing the dispatch consoles and hopefully they can also discuss/incorporate the Flambeau Hill Tower potential acquisition at that same time.
MAY 2012 MEETING DATE AND TIME
The next meeting will be Wednesday, May 9, 2012 at 8:00 a.m.
ADJOURNMENT
Skogen adjourned the meeting at 9:30 a.m.
RUSK COUNTY EMERGENCY SERVICES | April 11, 2012 - Meeting Minutes / Page 1