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Ms. Taylor asked if the union members of the department were involved in decision-making in the <br />department. Chief Tallon said that the union decided not to be involved in the report. The union reviewed <br />the report and had not indicated any major disagreements with the report. <br /> <br />Ms. Bettman asked if the paramedics were trained to do tracheotomies. Chief Tallon said yes. Ms. Bettman <br />suggested a situation in which a child was choking and asked if an ambulance would arrive in time to <br />prevent brain death. That was the standard she used to judge whether there was adequate response time, and <br />she could not find an answer to that question in the materials before the council. <br /> <br />Ms. Bettman said she had reservations about the report. It appeared to her that the City moved forward <br />with phases 1 and 2 of redeployment to save money, but the report indicated that no money had been saved <br />and the level of service deteriorated. She said that the council should make it a goal that the 1710 Standard <br />be achieved, as that was the only policy direction the council could give that would get the City where it <br />ought to be. <br /> <br />Mr. Kelly shared Ms. Bettman's concerns and requested summary financial data at the Budget Committee <br />meeting in February 2004. He cited the costs and savings from the shift to Medic 90s as an example. <br /> <br />Mr. Kelly asked what the benefits and costs of accreditation would be. Chief Tallon said that the cost would <br />be several thousand dollars. The benefit was that the department would be independently evaluated by <br />outside experts. <br /> <br />Mr. Meisner did not perceive the report as suggesting that phases 1 and 2 redeployment were failures. <br /> <br />Mr. Meisner was unsure he would support a motion directing staff to bring the Station 9 restaffing issue <br />back to the Budget Committee at this time. He trusted that the department would make the needed <br />recommendation when appropriate to the decision makers. Chief Tallon concurred. <br /> <br /> Mr. Pap~, seconded by Ms. Taylor, moved that the City Manager's fiscal <br /> year 2005 budget proposal include appropriate options for an engine com- <br /> pany at Station 9 and recommendations for funding it. <br /> <br />Mr. Kelly clarified from Mr. Pap~ that he was not proposing to include the cost of restaffing Station 9 in the <br />base fiscal year 2005 budget. Mr. Kelly said he was willing to consider the information about how to <br />accomplish the goal, but he did not want it in the base budget. Mr. Pap~ agreed. <br /> <br />Mr. Poling said having the extra engine at Station 9 would increase coverage throughout the community, <br />and he wanted to examine the potential. <br /> <br />Assistant City Manager Jim Carlson reminded the council that its work session on such items were held <br />outside the budgeting process, which was a balancing act between all the different things the City did. He <br />recalled that the council attempted to fund the recommendations made in the Hobson Report at one time but <br />was not able to do so. He indicated staff would return with options, but the options would also include <br />reductions because the council could not add $1.5 million to the General Fund without reducing the budget <br />somewhere else or by securing new revenues. <br /> <br />MINUTES--Eugene City Council December 3, 2003 Page 5 <br /> Work Session <br /> <br /> <br />