White River Township Fire Department

                                                Bi-Weekly Strategic Meeting

           

                                                Thursday, May 24, 2007

 

 

                       

Present:

Chief Cassin

Chief Brown

 

 

 

Chief Thacker

Chief Slauter

Crystal Young

 

  

  1. Meeting called to order at 0804.
  2. Old Business
    1. Smoking Policy Update

                                                              i.      Chief Brown stated that it had been presented to the union.

                                                            ii.      Capt. Hart asked for suggestions for support programs from the guys.

                                                          iii.      Chief Thacker believes the department should set the date to be tobacco free and help people to get to that point.

1.      He suggested June 2008

2.      Chief Cassin believes it should be January 1, 2008 and if they cannot hit that target date they should go to a point man that can get them the help they need to reach that goal.

                                                           iv.      Zero Tobacco needs to be the policy.

1.      Including training and department sponsored events.

a.      Chief Brown stated that (concerning Strawberry Festival) the school campus is a tobacco free zone.

2.      The department needs to make clear the long term reason is insurance.

a.      Chief Thacker stated that insurance companies may swab for tobacco.

b.      Chief Brown believes that the insurance reason should be communicated to everyone.

c.      Chief Thacker wants to incorporate it into the whole idea of physical fitness / health program.

d.      This policy could reduce line-of-duty deaths due to stroke or heart attack.

3.      Chief Slauter sees no negative reason to go tobacco free.

4.      Chief Cassin agrees with Chief Slauter.

a.      At this point Tony has quit along with a couple of others.

a.      Chief Thacker stated that the hardest point for everyone is the group.

                                                             v.      A memo needs to be posted that the policy is coming.

1.      If anyone believes they will have difficulty reaching this goal point them to Chief Thacker for help.

    1. Core Value Discussion

                                                              i.      The list has been narrowed to five but Chief Cassin asked if the list could go to three.  Three are easier to remember than five.

                                                            ii.      After a little discussion the list was narrowed to four removing sacrifice from the list.  Everyone believes that there are too many meanings and could be taken wrong.

                                                          iii.      Chief Cassin would like to get signage or lettering to post the values and new mission statement in the training room.

                                                           iv.      Chief Cassin asked Chief Slauter to put out memo about the idea and the reason for the core values.

    1. Budget Review (chain of command)

                                                              i.      There was an issue with the chain of command when presented to the board due to the fire chief vacancy.

                                                            ii.      Chief Cassin stated that when Steve Dyson gave him the fiscal plan there was more revenue than anticipated giving the department more wiggle room when setting up the chain of command.

1.      One problem is that if the department were to go to the board with too many ideas the department may look disorganized.

2.      The chief staff may want to sit down and come up with a command structure that is the ultimate the department would want, set it up exactly the way the department would like.

3.      The goal would be to budget for the changes and adjust depending on who gets the fire chief position.

                                                          iii.      Chief Slauter made a point to discuss with the board that the command structure was changed to what the department really wanted due to the information received by Steve Dyson.

1.      Show the board that there are three scenarios:

a.      Don’t change the current command structure

b.      Show the end all be all (exactly what the department wants)

c.      Review the last proposed command structure that was more conservative, based on the previous revenue figures.

2.      He was also concerned that if the command structure is too broad would that give the board more freedom to go with someone outside department.

a.      Chief Cassin believes that some of the questions benefit someone inside the department.

                                                           iv.      Chief Cassin would like any suggestions.  The next board meeting is June 7th.

  1. New Business
    1. Battalion Response SOG

                                                              i.      The SOG lists the runs the Battalion needs to respond to.

                                                            ii.      Chief Thacker asked if the policy was needed.

1.      Chief Slauter stated that it would shore up for accreditation.

                                                          iii.      Chief Slauter also believes that this will help the company officers to become more responsible and not always wait for the Battalion to show up and take over.

1.      He also believes it helps with succession training.

                                                           iv.      Everyone was okay with the SOG.

    1. SOG Manual Update

                                                              i.      The current SOG manual is written in html or web format and is difficult to print out or convert to a document.

                                                            ii.      Chief Wilson and Crystal are working on putting it into a manual.  Chief Wilson is writing policy that needs to be written while Crystal is formatting it into word format.

                                                          iii.      Once complete it will be put into a PDF format and will be available just like the policy manual is now.

                                                           iv.      The SOGs will be categorized instead of numbered.  This will allow new SOGs to be inserted without renumbering and keep similar subjects together.

    1. Future Training Facility / Runyon Road Station

                                                              i.      The staff needs to decide what the next step is.  The department has money set aside.

                                                            ii.      Chief Thacker will be meeting with Bill Long next week.

1.      the property is $22,000 per acre (12 acres for approximately $300,000)

                                                          iii.      The plan is to build a multi-company training facility.

1.      Pike has a burn tower, skill training and a station located on 7 acres.

2.      The building would be similar to Pike – brick, 3-4 story structure with extrication pad, driving pad, multi-station training.

a.      The building would either be a class A or LP Burn (both can have smoke scrubbers)

                                                           iv.      The biggest concern is the tower.

1.      The department would need to show the board pictures of Lawrence’s tower.

2.      The department should have an architect come up with some ideas.

                                                             v.      Chief Cassin wanted to know if the property had sewer and water.

1.      Chief Thacker believes it has water but not sure about sewer.  The common belief is that Hunter’s Pointe is on septic.

                                                           vi.      Chief Brown stated that the utility would need to be contacted to find out how far from the lines a building of that size would need to be set back.

                                                         vii.      Chief Cassin believes the department would be able to negotiate a little concerning the length of time the property has been available.

1.      He also believes that the Runyon Rd. property be sold with the money going to the training facility project.

a.      The agreement is that the property is too small and the cost for upkeep makes the property impractical.

                                                       viii.      Chief Brown stated that the zoning issue will need to be clarified.

1.      The Board of Zoning and Appeals will need to be contacted to get something in writing.

2.      Previously there just needed to be an apparatus parked on the property to receive fire station status but Chief Brown is unclear what would need to happen at this location.

                                                           ix.      Chief Thacker believes the department should have meetings before hand to let the people know what the plan is and what the project will look like.

                                                             x.      The priority was to purchase land for a new fire station.

1.      There is $300,000 set aside for land acquisition for new station north of Station 53.

2.      Chief Cassin stated that there is money in the budget.   

a.      The Cum Fund has to have money in it so the department does not have to get a loan for new apparatus.

b.      The General Fund could go to zero.  The only problem is when the tax money does not come on time and the expenses for a couple of months need to be absorbed by other funds.

c.      The loan for the new fire station was not taken out for the total.  There was a balance of approximately $500,000 the department will pay.

3.      Chief Cassin would like to wait until the new station is done to look at the cash flow.

a.      He also pointed out that the department is currently collecting $13,000 per month just in interest.

                                                           xi.      At this point everyone agrees that there is no reason to keep Runyon Road property.

1.      If it is empty it will run down quickly.

2.      Will the board want to use the property as storage?  If so:

a.      There is a maintenance issue

b.      There has been no accommodation for the building once the department moves out.

                                                         xii.      Chief Thacker believes the issue needs to be brought to the board to get the ball rolling.

1.      Chief Cassin will preface the issue of a training center in the Pre-Meeting Report.

2.      Also add the possible sale of the Runyon Rd property to get endorsement from the board to proceed.

    1. Captain & Lieutenant Process

                                                              i.      Chief Thacker has reviewed both lists and 2004 was the last Captains process and 2005 was the last Lieutenant process.  Both are over two years old.

1.      The department is sure that the operations position will be available.

2.      It is time to do a new process.

3.      He believes the department should work on a new list between now and January 1st so it is ready.

                                                            ii.      Chief Slauter believes that if we are going to dump a list it needs to be done every two years consistently.

                                                          iii.      Chief Brown asked if there is a stated time limit.

1.      Chief Thacker replied no but the normal time limit is two years.

                                                           iv.      Chief Cassin believes the department needs to state a time limit.

1.      General knowledge for a list is two years.

2.      The problem with the list is that the first person may be a good candidate but the second may be someone we don’t want.

                                                             v.      Chief Slauter stated that if the list is going to be scrapped after this long and right before a possible hiring for the positions, someone needs to pull the first couple of guys that are on the list aside and let them know what is going on, why the list is being scrapped.

                                                           vi.      Chief Cassin stated that the department needs to create a policy:

1.      Part-time – one year

2.      Firefighter – two years

3.      Internal promotions – three years

4.      He is in favor of leaving the current list in place until the first of the year, then scrap the current list and start a new process.

                                                         vii.      Chief Slauter supports scrapping the list after two years but believes the chief should talk to the first two guys on the list and explain it to them.

1.      He asked if the chief has the flexibility to reject the next person on the list.

2.      Chief Thacker stated that with the merit process it is difficult not to hire the next on the list without a very good reason.

                                                       viii.      Chief Cassin will search for a policy that states two years and if there is not one he will write one up and put it into effect January 1st.

                                                           ix.      Chief Slauter asked if there will be a problem with applicants challenging the qualifications because of the fire chief process.

1.      It is possible but everyone needs to make it clear that the board hires the chief and the department has no control over that.  What the department can control is the requirements for those positions and they have been stated and are the same.

    1. Chief Slauter asked who was in charge of ordering furniture for Station 51.

                                                              i.      Capt. Hart has the list of items that need to be ordered.  If the Battalion wants something specific they need to talk to him.

                                                            ii.      The biggest item is the recliners and there is a timeline already established.

                                                          iii.      Chief Cassin stated that there was no meeting at the building yesterday because there was too much going on.  He walked around the building noting:

1.      the front apron has been poured

2.      the dumpster pad is done

3.      the cmu wall is up and a wood gate will be placed on the front

    1. Chief Slauter stated that everything is okay with the new engine.

                                                              i.      The bumper will be replaced with the beefed up one that was originally specked.

                                                            ii.      E53 will become the reserve engine.  Chief Cassin told Chief Slauter to go ahead and get the parts ordered to get the engines into service as soon as possible.  E53 will be a fully functioning reserve.  Chief Cassin stated that he will need to order the laptop mount.

1.      Chief Slauter stated that he still needed the locking mechanism for his laptop mount.

  1. Meeting called at 0935.