04/19/1999-CC-Minutes-Work SessionMINUTES: City Council - Workshop
April 19, 1999
PRESENT: Mayor Pro Tem Jerry Jenkins, Councilman Carroll McNeill, Councilwoman Alice
Madden, Councilman Mike James, Councilman Glenn Ervin
ABSENT: Mayor Tommy Kincaid
OTHERS
PRESENT: City Administrator Jack Smith, City Secretary Rose Chavez, Administrative
Assistant Samantha Renz, Electric Superintendent/Fire Chief Jeff Morris
1. Mayor Pro Tern called meeting to order.
2. Discuss Future Plans for Fire Department.
Jeff Morris addressed the Council, he indicated he needed some direction from the
Council before he starts next years budget.
Discussed if they wanted paid personnel, Mr. Morris indicated the insurance rating would
go down if they had paid personnel. Volunteers would like to see paid personnel.
Discussed the shifts the fire department was working, and Mr. Morris indicated weekend
shifts would be implemented tomorrow.
Mayor Pro tem asked if the City changed to a paid Fire Department what the County
would do.
Mr. Morris indicated they would have to form a County Fire Department, he indicated
they would not be able to leave the City if they had a paid Fire Department because they
would not want to leave the City unprotected.
Councilman McNeill indicated sixty-five to seventy-five percent of all runs are EMS
runs.
Mr. Morris indicated there were 408 EMS runs and 297 fire runs, the majority of the fire
runs are County runs not City runs.
Mr. Morris indicated they are currently running first response, but they did not have to,
they could wait for Denton. Denton's response time went up from 13 minutes to 14
minutes this year.
Mr. Morris indicated they cover the largest area in Denton County.
Discussed what surrounding cities were doing.
Ambulance service discussed.
Mr. Morris indicated the best thing might be to implement four paid people in 2000, and
get a grant for an ambulance, contract out and run EMS runs for the County.
Mayor Pro Tern indicated they would need at least ten people and two ambulances, he
indicated in the past he has not been in favor of a paid department. He expressed
concerns regarding funding.
Discussed sending some of the volunteers to paramedic school.
Mr. Morris indicated he wanted to improve the care for the citizens.
Mayor Pro Tem indicated the best option they have at this time is to rely on the City of
Denton.
Discussed where number of volunteers and where most of them live, the majority of them
live in the city limits. They opened the radius to two miles.
Discussed the territory they cover, and possibly giving up some of the area.
Mr. Morris indicated they should go to the County and ask for an increase in funds
received from them per run in the County.
Council agrees they should assess the rates and possibly ask for increase.
Discussed how many cities have paid fire departments.
Discussed shifts, and how they are working.
Discussed issues concerning expansion.
Mr. Morris indicated his suggestion was to not add equipment this year, but possibly
expand the fire department, he suggested they continue operating as they are through ali
of 2000.
Discussed ambulance, all agreed they do not see how the City could afford it.
Council agrees to check all options.
3. Meeting Adjourned.