White River Township Fire Protection District

 

Pre-Meeting Report for March 2, 2004

 

Compiled February 27, 2004

 

 

 

  1. We just finished our 9th Strategic Planning Session since we began them late last year.  The meetings are still currently scheduled for every Thursday at Headquarters at 1pm for anyone wanting to attend.  We will continue weekly until we are caught back up to where we should be at this point in the year.  We are still concentrating on the 2004 plan because of the significant changes taking place.  However, at least it’s at a point for everyone to review and is attached with this document.  Beginning next week, we will be shifting gears a little bit and begin to discuss the 5 year plan (years 2005-2009).  The goal is to have this completed by May in order to be ready for the 2005 budget process.

 

  1. No new news on the new Engine 51 (say that three times in a row!).  This is the replacement engine for the one that was lost in the accident a couple of years ago.  The committee is traveling to the plant in March for the pre-paint inspection, which should put a delivery date around the first of May.

 

  1. The hiring process is officially under way with applications being picked up all this week.  As of today (Friday), the application count was 45 handed out.  The official timeline for the entire process, with all positions considered, is in the 2004 Strategic Plan.

 

  1. As a result of the last FPDB meeting, all three stations will have a crew of four assigned to them beginning on March 1st.  Minimum staffing remains at three per station allowing us to be down three personnel before having to pay overtime.  Overtime costs should be reduced significantly as a result of this change.

 

  1. The 2003 Fire Loan Projects are proceeding on schedule.  The following is an update on current and upcoming projects.

 

    1. The Zoll defibrillators are all in and training is currently under way.  Mark Hart should have the units on all the appropriate equipment within the next few weeks.

 

    1. The HURST extrication equipment is in and we’re just waiting on some mounting supplies in order to begin training.  This project is expected to be fully completed by the end of March.

 

    1. The copy machine project is currently on hold because the lease buyout came back $2500 higher than what was previously told.  We are trying to straighten it out with the lease company.

 

    1. We have received three quotes from Dell, HP, and Gateway respectively for the new computer system.

 

    1. Legal council is nearly finished working out the details on the property purchase at Olive Branch and 135.  Once they are finished we will be able to set up a closing date.

 

    1. Holding to the proposed Strategic Plan for 2004, we are seeking approval from the FPDB to proceed with the Station 52 and Station 53 construction projects.  The projects are listed in the plan in detail and include a proposed timeline.  Lieutenant Jeff Smith has agreed to serve as the project lead on both projects.

 

  1. Speaking of construction projects, and again holding to the proposed Strategic Plan, we would like to also move forward on the Station 51 replacement project.  Even with a smooth project we are most likely looking at a year and a half to two years before we are in a new building.  As we know, Station 51 is rapidly approaching the end of its useful life, so therefore we need to get the ball rolling on the planning stages of the new facility.  There is a proposed timeline in the Strategic Plan document.

 

  1. Good news!  Jeff Stainfield (insurance agent) has now settled all obligations with the fire department from the tornado of 2002.  After issuing three separate checks, he finally fulfilled the total amount due of $17,821.61.

 

  1. Remember to take a look at your calendars and be ready to submit tentative meeting dates for the rest of this year.

 

  1. The corporation consolidation issue is discussed in a separate document because of its length.  It should be attached to the e-mail you received this document in.

 

  1. The vacation carryover issue is still outstanding.  The following is the verbatim excerpt from the department’s policy regarding vacation for full-time personnel.  The highlighted section is the proposed change:

 

Staff personnel may carry a maximum of twenty-four forty (24) (40) hours of unused vacation time forward into the next calendar year.  Shift personnel may carry forty-eight (48) hours forward into the next calendar year.

 

  1. The minutes from the February 2nd District meeting are available for viewing on our website, or by following this link: http://www.wrtfd.org/downloads/minutes/fpdb/2004/0202.htm

 

  1. The agenda for the March 2nd District meeting is available for viewing on our website, or by following this link:  http://www.wrtfd.org/downloads/agendas/fpdb/2004/0302.htm

 

  1. This agenda will be updated as needed.  Copies will be available the night of the meeting.  The December newsletter is available for viewing on our website, or by following this link:  http://www.wrtfd.org/downloads/newsletters/2004/Feb04news.doc