White River Township Fire Protection District
Board Meeting Minutes
November 6, 2007
District Board Members Present:
Dr. Chuck Shufflebarger
Rev. Jim Dodson
Jon Raker
Butch Sutton
Paul Kite
Jeremy Pell
Jim Engmark
Dave Scholl
Charles Fraker
Darryl Slevin
Crystal Young
Others Present:
Tricia Leminger
Dudley Senefeld
Scott Senefeld
Dan Sulkoske
Mike Gaunce
Note: Motions are italicized and in blue.
Dr. Shufflebarger called the meeting to order at 7:14 p.m.
The
insurance discussion will be added to the agenda.
i.
Chief Pell
stated that there were two major issues:
1. Electrical issues have been worked out through Simms.
2. The hood system will be taken care of through
Wasserstrom and JE Mechanical.
ii.
Chief Pell
stated that the work level is 120% better and many minor issues have been taken
care of.
iii.
1. The list of items has been reviewed and those who are
responsible have been notified.
2. There will be a timeline drawn up and a date of
completion determined.
iv.
Scott Senefeld
stated that the Substantial Completion Certificate has been signed.
1. That is significant since the warranty period started
as of the signing date of either the 30th or 31st.
2. They have received the lists from
3. The building is move-in ready.
4. He also stated that the timeline should be complete
end of day November 7th.
a. He will also be on site helping get things wrapped
up.
v.
The hood will be
tested on Thursday.
vi.
The counties
final inspection will be on Friday.
vii.
Ms. Leminger
also reminded everyone of the issue of the plenum cable. Simms has determined that it is plenum so
that issue has been cleared up.
viii.
Ms. Leminger
also informed the board that JE Mechanical is trying to file a lien for
outstanding change orders but since it is a public project they will not be
able to.
1. The previously mentioned change orders have just been
received and are now being reviewed to see if they are necessary.
2. Back charges may wipe out change order issues.
ix.
Mr. Sulkoske was
in agreement with Ms. Leminger and Mr. Senefeld and had nothing new to add.
x.
Dr.
Shufflebarger asked how much would the change orders cost and if they are
legitimate changes.
1. The charges are approximately $14,500 and some are
scope changes while a couple are not.
a. The boiler plate issue is in the process of who is to
do what and when.
b. Mr. Senefeld stated that they received the change
orders a week and a half ago, they are under review and are being looked at by
the engineers for approval.
c. Mr. Sulkoske reiterated that they are late but if JE
Mechanical is going down the legal path we should prepare for that also. There should be off-setting charges.
xi.
Ms. Leminger
stated that we are in the home stretch but the liquid damages are not as clean.
1. Mr. Sulkoske reminded the board that there are some
time constraints on the contract.
2. Mr. Sutton asked what the constraints are.
3. Mr. Sulkoske responded that the constraints are
standard but we need to pre-position on prior notification.
a. He added that if we need to bring a suit we need to
get in position but we need to try to let things play out.
xii.
Mr. Kite asked
when occupancy of the building would occur.
1. Chief Pell stated that he was shooting for before
Thanksgiving.
2. Ms. Leminger stated that there was no time limit.
a. If the contractor fails to complete work
b. Mr. Sutton asked
3. Chief Pell observed that WR still owes JE Mechanical
$30,000.
a. He mentioned that JE Mechanical was still working
with us and as long as they were the department should stay the course to get
into the building.
b. Ms. Leminger will look into the Change Orders; she
has not received all the information she needed. Also engineers are looking into the Change
Orders and Mr. Senefeld will follow-up with JE Mechanical.
i.
Mr. Sutton and
Mr. Dodson met with the insurance rep. Mike Gaunce approximately one week ago
concerning the renewal for the department.
1. The district approves the money the department can
spend then the department selects the plan they prefer.
2. The current premium increase is 14.9%.
3. The board needs to allocate toward the budget item.
ii.
The approved
budget is slightly less than what was paid last year.
1. Is board action needed?
2. Mr. Gaunce will get quotes from several companies.
a. He has some quotes but will need applications for
exact amounts.
b. Lt Smith is taking care of getting the applications
to everyone and will get them turned in for the exact quotes.
c. Anthem will probably be the best deal but Mr. Gaunce
will still take the forms and get quotes from alternate insurance companies.
d. Mr. Kite asked if they were really different form
last years.
i.
Mr. Gaunce
stated that is was mostly for the updated medical information on everyone.
ii.
Mr. Gaunce
should have firm rates from other companies within a week to ten days.
iii.
Dr.
Shufflebarger would like to finish the discussion during the next meeting.
i.
Chiefs Pell and
Brown met with representatives from St. Francis concerning the 50 acre site
they are to build in the area. They
would like to have a fire station nearby and are optimistic about carving out
some property for WRTFD.
1. The CFO and CEO also believe it is a good
possibility.
2. The lot would be adjacent to the lot the department
had been looking at.
ii.
Chief Brown has
also spoken to
iii.
The
recommendation is to sit on this to see which property may become available.
iv.
Starbucks is supposed
to be closing this week.
v.
Triple S would
like to keep in touch.
1. The department would like to keep them out in the
wings waiting just as a precaution.
2. Chiefs Pell and Brown will continue to communicate
with her.
i.
Chief Pell is
giving the board Charlie Fraker for the position.
ii.
He interviewed
with both Chief Pell and Chief Brown and they both believe he would be a good
fit.
i.
Ms. Leminger
stated that the date of revision is today’s date.
ii.
The revision in
on page 4 section 5b.
1. The appointed rank of Captain was added
iii.
Dr.
Shufflebarger prompted for a motion to adopt.
1. Mr. Kite wanted to know if it needed to be specific
to the position.
2. Mr. Raker would like to add rank of Battalion Chief
and Captain permanent or appointed.
3. Mr. Dodson believes that it should be for the
position and taken on as needed.
4. Dr. Shufflebarger added that within that rank of
Captain the department would still need to come to the board to have any other
position of Captain approved. This
change leaves it open so the board would not have to change the document again.
5. Ms. Leminger stated that she could add a sentence to
make the position specific to the fire prevention officer.
6. Chief Pell stated that even though it is an appointed
authority the department would still have to come to the board for approval
before granting a rank but the safety board would not need to be changed every
time.
a. The change is not viewed as an open door but it lays
the ground work for the future.
b. Dr. Shufflebarger agreeing with Chief Pell stated
that in the future there would only need to be one motion instead of two.
c. Mr. Kite does not want this to become the norm.
d. Dr. Shufflebarger believes that all this is doing is
adding a layer.
7. Ms. Leminger stated that a motion will cover the
change made to page 4 section 5b concerning the permanent and appointed ranks.
iv. Jon Raker motions to approve the changes made to the Safety Board Document. Butch Sutton seconds.
v. All in favor and motion carries.
vi.
Chief Pell asked
if he now has the authority to appoint Charlie Fraker to the position or if the
Safety Board needed to approve the appointment.
1. Dr. Shufflebarger believes Chief Pell now has that authority
due to the changes just approved to the Safety Board Documents.
i.
This system is
similar to MECA for
1. Sheriff McLaughlin uses the system for data purposes
2. It is also computer aided dispatch.
3.
4. Chief Pell would like to be part of the agreement.
a. The issue would be the kind of user White River
Township Fire Department would be.
ii.
Ms. Leminger stated
that it is for a data agency and the department is a non-data user.
1. The department would not be identified under any
current listing. Rights and
responsibilities rely on needs.
1. Mr. Kite asked who had authority.
a.
2. Dr. Shufflebarger asked if a motion is needed.
3. Ms. Leminger believes that a motion is needed to
execute once items have been clarified.
iii.
Mr. Sutton asked
what the premises is for the agreement.
1. The agreement covers the computer aided dispatch that
2. The data base is tagged on to the system.
iv. Butch Sutton motions to approve the Agreement. Jim Dodson seconds.
v. All in favor and motion carries.
i.
There is a
vacancy left by
ii.
Chief Pell met
with the first 10 people on the list and would like to offer the first person
on the list, Randy Becker, a conditional offer of employment.
iii.
Mr. Kite asked
if the board needed to take formal acceptance of the list first.
iv.
Dr.
Shufflebarger asked about the list.
1. The top 30 were interviewed but the list ended with
29.
2. Chief Pell met with the top 10 candidates on that
list for informational purposes. No one was
re-sequenced Chief Pell just wanted to speak with the candidates.
a. Jon Raker reiterated that the list wouldn’t change if
five more were interviewed.
b. Dr. Shufflebarger asked if the 11-29 would need to go
through an interview with Chief Pell also.
c. Chief Pell said that he would speak to the other
candidates also.
v. Paul Kite motions to approve the list. Jon Raker seconds.
vi. All in favor and motion carries.
vii. Paul Kite motions to approve the conditional offer of employment of Randy Becker. Jon Raker seconds.
viii. All in favor and motion carries.