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HomeMy WebLinkAboutFire EMS 2022-02-15 MinutesCity of Tukwila Future of Fire/EMS Services Community Advisory Committee February 15, 2022 Virtual Meeting due to COVID-19 Emergency 4:00 p.m. MINUTES Present Committee members: Katrina Dohn, Peggy McCarthy, Andy Reiswig, Dennis Robertson, Verna Seal, Sally Blake, Hien Kieu, Ramona Grove, Ben Oliver (Absent: Jim Davis, Abduiiahi Shakui) Citystaff& consultants: David Cline, Laurel Humphrey, Norm Golden, Jay Wittwer, Vicky Carisen, James Booth, Jake Berry, Karen Reed, Bili Cushman 1. Welcome Chair Seal called the meeting to order. Review of Agenda Ms. Reed reviewed the agenda. Review and approval of February 1, 2022 Committee meeting minutes Ms. Blake requested an amendment to the third buiieted point under Item 6 on page 4. She will email her proposed amendment to Ms. Reed and the February 1, 2022 minutes will be presented for Committee approval at the next meeting. 4. Election of Vice -Chair Ms. Kieu was appointed Committee Vice -Chair by consensus. Schedule Update The Committee Report to the Full Council is tentatively scheduled for March 21. Committee members agreed to an additional meeting to be held on Tuesday, May 3, 2022 at 4:00 p.m Responses to questions asked at previous meetings Ms. Reed reviewed a list of responses. Mr. Robertson asked for a table showing numbers of firefighters per capita and square mileage per station for Puget Sound Regional Fire Authority, Renton Regional Fire Authority, and Tukwila. Recap of Meeting Presentation/Continued Discussion Ms. Reed reviewed the previous discussions on enhanced services, fiscal sustainability, decision criteria, and options 1 and 2. Definition of Fiscal Sustainability- One member prefers the definition of fiscal sustainability to be "A fire agency is considered fiscally sustainable if it can maintain service levels within available revenues." The rest of the committee is comfortable with the full definition: "A fire agency is considered fiscally sustainable if it can maintain service levels within available revenues - in the City's case (as a government providing many services), this means maintaining fire/EMS service levels without negatively impacting services in other City departments competing for the same funding." Committee members discussed recommendation criteria and potential measures for the proposed criteria as follows. • Some of the criteria are a go/no-go. • Do other agencies capture data that Tukwila doesn't capture? Ability to meet needs of diverse Community • Demographics of labor force • Expand criteria to be "ability to meet needs of diverse community of residents and businesses." • Availability of translators/multilingual staffing/language access Ability to meet needs of large business community • Fire benefit charge formula creates an awareness of hazards • Response times • Robust Fire Marshal Office staffing; numbers of inspections Impact on labor force, retention, recruitment • Benefits compared to other agencies Overall service quality, response times PLUS • Capacity of Fire Marshal Office • Response times • Turnaround time on building reviews (considering the role of Community Development Department) • Provision of public education, Cares, Fire Marshal services • Consider services offered as part of comparison matrix Accountability for outcomes/ability to measure outcomes • Staying within or near budget • Response times • Look to CPSM report for measures • Look at measures used by other agencies, particularly Renton and Puget Sound Is public education offered? • Why is only one of three enhanced services listed? Ability to keep pace with needs of growing community • Committee members agreed to strike this from list of criteria Sustainability of funding • Flexibility of funding 2 8. ODtions 3 (Tukwila Fire District w/Droaertvtaxes) and Option 4 (Tukwila Fire District w/Droaertvtaxes and fire benefit chargel Ms. Reed presented an overview of two more options. • Q: Has the City considered a fire district in previous studies? A: Yes, but it was never pursued very fa r. • This sounds similar to a Metropolitan Park District, like Tukwila Pool • Q: In this scenario how soon is the property tax revenue available after the levy? • Q: What is the "Excess Levy for Debt=$1,870,128" on page 31 under all four options? A: Debt services on the fire stations. • Q: Is it typical to have an appeal process for the fire benefit charge? A: Yes 9. Union Comment Captain Booth shared thatthe union supports finding efficiencies and reducing redundancies; fire districts have challenges with funding models; he appreciates the Committee's work. 10. Adjourn The meeting was adjourned at 5:40 P.M. by unanimous consent. Minutes by LH