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HomeMy WebLinkAboutMinutes_Miscellaneous_04/28/1993_Public Safety Committee rf VILLAGE OF TEQUESTA Post Office Box 3273 • 357 Tequesta Drive Tequesta, Florida 33469 -0273 • (407) 575 -6200 3 a Fax: (407) 575 -6203 D � 4 fgCH cou", V I L L A G E O F T E Q U E S T A P U B L I C S A F E T Y C O M M I T T E E M E E T I N G M I N U T E S A P R I L 2 8, 1 9 9 3 I. The Tequesta Public Safety Committee held a scheduled meeting at the Village Hall at 357 Tequesta Drive, Tequesta, Florida, on Wednesday, April 28, 1993. The meeting was called to order at 8:30 A.M. by Chairman Joseph N. Capretta, with Co- Chairman Ron T. Mackail in attendance. Also in attendance were Councilmembers Liz Schauer and Earl L. Collings; Village Manager, Thomas G. Bradford; Village Clerk Joann Manganiello; Finance Director, Bill Kascavelis; Police Chief Carl Roderick, and Fire Chief, James Weinand. II. APPROVAL OF AGENDA A) Chairman Capretta asked to add the following subject matters, to be discussed after Approval of the Agenda: 1) Discussion regarding ENCON proposal for sewer system; and 2) Station 11. The Agenda was approved as amended. B) ENCON: Chairman Capretta referred to a letter sent by ENCON to citizens regarding the proposed sewer system to which citizens were much in objection since they feel the system is too costly to install and operate. A public hearing on the matter is scheduled at the Village Hall for April 29, 1993. Chairman Capretta asked if the Village of Tequesta had a position in this matter. After discussion it was determined that the Village Council should not take a position on this matter until it is brought to Council by the citizens. C) STATION 11: Chairman Capretta asked whether the Village should make an all -out effort to obtain Station 11, is it worth obtaining, and is it expandable to become a permanent facility. Recycled Pager Public Safety Committee Meeting Minutes April 28, 1993 Page 2 ------------------------------- Fire Chief Weinand explained that: 1) Station 11 is not centrally located in the Village, and would therefore extend the range of response. The garage proposed to be renovated as a fire station is centrally located; 2) Station 11 is built as a sub - station, and its two bays are configured wrong to house a ladder truck. If the Village opts to choose in -house EMS, three bays will be needed; 3) there is no laundry facility nor decontamination facility at that station; 4) the bunk room is set up for three persons, with no room for expansion. Councilmember Collings stated his position as one where he would feel very comfortable to have Palm Beach County Fire Rescue remain at Station 11 with an interlocal agreement with Tequesta for backup support, and felt Tequesta should pursue another location for a permanent station. He felt the proposed renovated garage location for a fire station was too congested an area for a permanent location. Mr. Collings stated he has a meeting scheduled with PBC Fire Chief Brice for May 10 to negotiate regarding Station 11 and has already met with County Commissioner Karen Marcus. Chairman Capretta suggested that PBC Fire Chief Brice and Commissioner Marcus be approached and requested to abandon Station 11, with an interlocal agreement with Tequesta for the surrounding unincorporated areas. Co- Chairman Mackail suggested creating an Agenda of options with which Councilmember Collings could approach Chief Brice. III. REVIEW OF ESTIMATED COSTS ASSOCIATED WITH TEQUESTA LOCAL OPTION RETIREMENT PLAN FOR FIREFIGHTERS. Finance Director, Bill Kascavelis, analyzed the report from Florida League of Cities, regarding a pension plan for Tequesta: Public Safety Committee Meeting Minutes April 28, 1993 Page 3 Present Vill. Contribution Rate Benefit Regular Employee 16.99% (1.6 /year x 30 = max. 48 %) Senior Management 19.96 (2.0 /year x 30 = max. 60 %) Special Risk Empl. 26.83 (3.0 /year x 25 = max. 75 %) (age 55 + 25 /vr service) Village Contribution 10 Year Certain Life Employee Contribution 3 2.5% 2.0% 2.5 16.5 13.75 11.00 3.0 16.0 13.32 10.65 5.0 14.1 11.75 9.39 Florida League of Cities showed the Village several alternative plans with different percentages of contributions from the employee ( i . e. , 2.5 ; 3. 0; or 5. 0 ) and the cost of the benefit to the Employer. Under 175 Funds, it is anticipated the Village would in return receive proceeds of 3 -6% of the plan costs from the homeowner premium tax, reducing Village contribution rate by that same amount (approximately $10,000). Fire Chief Weinand pointed out to the Committee that new firefighters are more concerned with salary than they are retirement. The Committee recommended the Florida League of Cities appear at another Public Safety Committee Meeting, with a matrix showing the five key elements, (all of which should come out to the Village's budgeted 10% of contribution), to determine which variable the Village would choose. Public Safety Committee Meeting Minutes April 28, 1993 Page 4 ------------------------------- IV. REVIEW OF STAFF RECOMMENDATIONS RELATIVE TO FIRE TRUCK PURCHASES. 1) Class A 1250 GPM Pumper: This truck will be used on virtually every call. Bids have been prepared and were opened on April 19. Many responses were received, but only five manufacturers focused on the specs as requested. Low bidder ($203,800) was Pierce Corp. of Appleton, Wisconsin. Budget allowance for this piece of equipment is $175,000. Staff requests that the Public Safety Committee recommend that Village Council reject all bids to buy the truck directly. Demonstrator trucks are available for a price more suitable to Village Budget. The Committee recommended that the Village Council reject all bids received for the Class A Pumper in order to negotiate a purchase directly for a demonstrator truck. 2) Seventy -five Foot Aerial Truck: The Tequesta Fire Rescue Report quoted a projected price of $223,000 for a 75 foot aerial truck on a 10 -year lease /purchase plan, based on the lowest priced base model for a new commercial aerial. Used and refurbished aerials can be purchased for less; however, the Village would merely be purchasing someone else's problems. The Village should consider the liability aspect of a poorly functioning ladder truck. A new aerial ($450,000- $510,000) has an average useful life of 20 -25 years (perhaps 30 years in Tequesta, since it would be used less frequently) , but could be financed over 20 years, reducing the debt service to the proposed 10 -year lease /purchase plan. Village Manager Bradford explained to the Committee that, unless the ladder truck is placed in the refinancing Bond package which is presently being considered, the Village could not afford a top -of- the -line ladder truck, and would have to resort to a 10 -year lease /purchase option, with a less expensive new aerial, or choose a refurbished truck, in order to stay within Village Budget. Fire Chief Weinand explained that fire trucks are available on a "first -come, first- served" basis, and it therefore might be wise to issue a Letter of Intent to the manufacturer on the aerial, should the Village decide that is the route to be taken. Public Safety Committee Meeting Minutes April 28, 1993 Page 5 ------------------------------- Co- Chairman Mackail moved that it be the Public Safety Committee's recommendation that the Village fire equipment be financed on a 20 -year (or greater) Note, combined with any other debt proposed for the Bond. Chairman Capretta seconded the motion. The vote on the motion was: Joseph N. Capretta - for Ron T. Mackail - for the motion was passed and adopted. V. REVIEW OF FIRE /RESCUE DEPARTMENT IMPLEMENTATION SCHEDULE. Village Manager Bradford gave the Committee an update on the pert chart for the implementation of the Tequesta Fire Department: o Fire Chief - ahead of schedule - on duty now. o Class A Pumper - recommending rejection of all bids received, and will request authority from Village Council to purchase a demo directly. o Aerial Truck - search for the truck will now begin. o Other Equipment - Specs are ready to go. o Firefighters & Volunteers - April 30 is the deadline for applications, having received to date approximately 80 applications. o Jupiter Inlet Colony contract - negotiations are still taking place. o North County Ambulance contract - on schedule. To be ratified by Village Council in June. NCA's attorneys desire a clause to discuss changes in price should annexation take place in Tequesta. o Martin County Mutual Aid contract - ahead of schedule. A standard contract has been drafted. o NAMAC Agreement - ahead of schedule. NAMAC Fire Chiefs will attend a meeting in May which Chief Weinand will also be attending. o Garage Renovation - initially behind schedule, but still on schedule regarding completion of the work. Bid award is scheduled for May 27 Village Council meeting. o Firefighter Pension Plan - on schedule. o Major Equipment Finance Plan - will move ahead according to Bonding program. o Radio Communications - The Police Department is now undergoing renovations to install a modular system, which will be used to dispatch police and fire. Public Safety Committee Meeting Minutes April 28, 1993 Page 6 ------------------------------- Village Manager Bradford explained that JIC does not want their future charges to be based on appraised property value. He explained the formula he used to arrive at JIC's fire /rescue contract cost with Tequesta. The concept presented to JIC by the Village was: The cost of providing one man /shift in a fire department - since that would be the minimum to accommodate JIC - approximating $150,000, excluding fire house and land. Tequesta's incremental cost of hiring one man is approximately $133,450. Divided into two categories: EMS (approximately 18% of total cost) and Fire (approximately 82% of total cost). CPI medical index is currently 6 %; fire component on CPI index is currently 3% inflation factor. Adding all this up, and depending on the amortization schedule used for the startup costs attributed to JIC, would cause a first -year contribution from JIC between $147,000 and $164,900. Startup costs would be between $350,000 - $395,000 depending on number of men /shift. JIC share would be 18% (based upon assessed value) - approximately $70,780. JIC's response to this concept was a positive one. They desire a 10 -year contract, with a preference toward a four - year amortization schedule, paying the start -up costs over a four -year period, with no re- openers in the contract for price re- negotiations, except for EMS. During the fifth year, JIC's contribution to the Village would drop approximately $9,000, since start -up costs will have been met. The Committee was comfortable with first year costs to JIC, but felt JIC should pay an escalator cost at least as great as that of the Village (approximately 7 %), forecasting a cap of JIC's maximum contribution. The Committee felt a 7% increase was small compared to the 14% increase JIC would have to pay if they remain with Palm Beach County Fire /Rescue. The Committee also felt the contract should not be for ten years, but three to four years. Public Safety Committee Meeting Minutes April 28, 1993 Page 7 ------------------------------- VI. ANY OTHER MATTERS Tequesta citizen, William Treacy, stated he had spoken with Florida Representative Tom Warner in Tallahassee, who says 600 of his work comes from Martin County. Therefore, since Martin County is against the Connector Road, he is against the road, also. More than 50% of the Country Club Road traffic comes from Martin County. Mr. Treacy asked why Martin County is not charged impact fees for the maintenance of Country Club Drive. Co- Chairman Mackail stated he had spoken with Commissioner Gettig who agreed to look at the traf f is study of Country Club Drive and Tequesta Drive traffic, to consider sharing maintenance costs. He explained that some Village options would be: 1) the level of service can be changed on Country Club Drive; 2) there may be legal inconsistencies to the Connector Road being taken out of the Martin County Comprehensive Plan. Village Manager Bradford explained that the Village is considering options regarding the design of Country Club Road which could address that traffic problem. Susan Brennan, Tequesta Country Club resident, presented to the Committee 250 signed petitions from Country Club residents who are deeply disturbed regarding the use of Tequesta Drive and Country Club Drive by Martin County residents. Public Safety Committee Meeting Minutes April 28, 1993 Page 8 ------------------------------- VII. ADJOURNMENT There being no further business before the Committee, the meeting was adjourned at 11:45 A.M. Respectfully submitted, Fran Bitters Recording Secretary ATTEST: 0 Joann Manganie o Village Clerk DATE APPROVED: 13 19 93