CC Minutes - 06/22/05 WS - Laserfiche WebLink

Home Browse Search

MINUTES Eugene City Council Work Session McNutt Room--Eugene City Hall June 22, 2005 Noon COUNCILORS PRESENT: George Poling, Jennifer Solomon, Chris Pryor, Betty Taylor, Gary Papd, David Kelly, Bonny Bettman COUNCILORS ABSENT: Andrea Ortiz Mayor Kitty Piercy called the meeting of the Eugene City Council to order. She noted that Ms. Ortiz was in Puerto Rico attending a conference for Latino elected officials and would not be present. A. WORK SESSION: City Council Priority Issue - Restore Engine Crew to Valley River Fire Station City Manager Taylor observed that one of the council's most enduring goals was to have a safe community where people felt secure and respected. He said that staff had been working on the eight priority issues identified by the council and the work session would address two of those issues related to public safety. He introduced Fire Chief Tom Tallon to discuss the restoration of an engine crew at the Valley River Station. Chief Tallon thanked the council for making restaffing Engine 9 a priority. He referred to materials in the agenda packet that outlined the priority issue, set forth a timeline and action plan, and identified strategic outcomes and progress to date. Chief Tallon said that the Fire and Emergency Medical Services (EMS) Department recruited annually for a class of between eight and twelve to fill vacancies. A national recruitment conducted in conjunction with Human Resource and Risk Services had screened 224 applicants and reduced the list to approximately 80 candidates who passed the required tests. He said that once those candidates complete an interview and background check successfully they are placed on a list of eligible individuals from which the department could hire. He said that ten people were recently hired to fill vacancies in the department and in early January 2006, another group of recruits would be hired to staff Engine 9 on a permanent basis. At that time an engine that was in reserve status would be moved to front line status and would be staffed immediately. He said that the $1.1 million approved by the council would be tracked separately in the department's budget and used exclusively to recruit, hire, train, equip and pay a crew for Engine 9. Chief Tallon reviewed the planning horizon and action items and noted that the council had directed the department to pursue federal funds under the Staffing for Adequate Fire and Emergency Response Firefighters (SAFER) Act, reporting that a grant application would be submitted by June 24, 2005. He thanked the City Council Intergovernmental Relations (CCIGR) for approving matching funds should the MINUTES--Eugene City Council June 22, 2005 Page 1 Work Session