Police & Fire Minutes from 2/9/09 Meeting

Minutes of the Police & Fire Commission meeting held on Monday, February 9, 2009 at city hall pursuant to notice duly given.

1. Meeting called to order at 6:00 p.m. by President Olson.
2. Roll Call: Dick Olson, Tim Longsine, Steve Gering, Gene Berth and Ron Hayes
Also present: Mayor Nerenhausen, Chief Carper, Chief Hoppe and Linda Belongia, Administrator and as recording secretary.

3. Moved by Hayes seconded by Gering to approve of the agenda as presented.
Motion carried upon verbal voice vote. 5 ayes

4. Moved by Longsine seconded by Hayes to approve of the minutes from the 1/12/2009 meeting.
Motion carried upon verbal voice vote. 5 ayes

5. Correspondence: Chief Carper referenced memo he received from Robert Mommaerts, Director of Public Services regarding the planned construction for the North end of Michigan…and the two hour parking limit; Chief Carper also mentioned 2/10/09 meeting of the ATV Ad Hoc Committee;

6. Public Input: Stacy Ferris stated she was present regarding the dog ordinance;
Viki Bostedt stated she is pleased with the status of the report from Jason and Chief Carper; Bostedt stated she hopes the commission comes to a good conclusion and resolution on the residency issue regarding Chief Hoppe and Officer Ruechel;

7. Citizens Complaint: Chief Carper stated he has a complaint under investigation, which should be settled by the next commission meeting.

8. Discussion/action/update on:
a. Animal Ordinance: Chief Carper stated he and Jason presented their report to the 2/3/09 Com of the Whole meeting; was well received;
good discussion was held…though he hasn’t received any additional comments from any of the alderpersons; draft ordinance is due at the 3/3/09 Com of the Whole meeting;
Chief Carper also mentioned meeting had with Kale Proksch, Park & Rec Director about wanting to create a dog park…and then not allowing dogs in areas such as the sports complex;
Jenny Saffran questioned why nothing gets in the paper on dog bites; stating a particular dog has bitten possibly four times; concerned that the public is not being made aware of dogs such as this;
Chief Carper stated he will talk to Bill and give more input when giving news to the media on dog incidents; Saffran concern for safety of children … owner of the dog has to have some responsibility; Carper stated it’s an education process;

b. Residency Request – Officer Ruechel; Ruechel stated the letter presented at the last meeting was not done in a timely fashion; letter provided to commissioners for this meeting is same letter, just a different date; …not expecting commission to do anything but first letter not done timely…Ruechel stated he wanted to present another letter in a timely fashion to allow him to take the next step; Ruechel stated commission is going by the 1982 policy…problem is commission not going by the book; that policy addresses facial hair…that has been adjusted; some people have been allowed to move out…not others…can’t pick and choose; referenced minutes and Hayes’s statement that no one got permission…referenced by Berth that wasn’t in minutes…about Hoppe getting initial approval to move out; Berth stated he didn’t say that…commission gave Mike Hoppe six months from time notified to move back; Longsine stated police & fire commission has tried….; Ruechel stated the commission redid the policy in ’99….referenced Ron Griebler and Joe Moes being allowed to move out….also Craig Henry and Wayne Boos; Olson stated Craig Henry came to the commission…informing us of what he wanted to do….stated Ruechel’s request was as an after thought; Ruechel stated he never seen the ’82 policy; Olson questioned Ruechel….shouldn’t the question have been asked to move outside the city; Ruechel stated he did talk to the Chief…and was told to write a letter….stated he had some personal issues and the letter didn’t get done … was no intention; Randy Van Hulle stated he has his house up for sale….intention is to build a home on property near his parents farm to help take care of them…..never thought residency was an issue; Olson stated it is an issue….commission has to decide; Longsine stated police dept employees are different for responding than fire….; Ruechel stated not getting the letter in was his fault….with no letter in, it wasn’t placed on agenda….so it went another month; Glenn Sowle referenced how the city of Oconto Falls and Gillett allow for living outside the city limits….stating Ruechel is 2.6 from his front door…and Bernie Faith is 2.6 miles; Van Hulle stated there is nothing in the current policy about residency; Belongia suggested that the commission have a meeting with the city’s labor attorney Jim Kalny to review the police and fire commission policy for the fire and police dept employees; Gering stated with technology such as it is today, response time is much better than what it was…agreed need to review the policy, i.e. residency…stated he discussed with some of the officers and was told it is rare if never that a police officer is called in on an emergency…..response time is difference for police than for fire….is in favor of discussing and reviewing the policies; Ruechel again stated his request was on the September agenda but with no letter presented, was not addressed; Olson questioned Ruechel on why he didn’t come to the commission before he moved outside the city limits; Hayes referenced Section 8 in the police & fire commission policy; Ruechel stated he never received that policy; Hayes questioned what were the circumstances for Joe Moes or Ron Griebler to move outside the city limits? Ruechel stated he didn’t know…could find out….stated there are eleven other city employees living outside, even one living in Peshtigo; Olson stated the commission has no control over those employees, just police & fire; John Reed stated he was against Craig Henry’s request to move outside the city limits…referencing the opinion at that time from Atty. Mraz; Longsine stated the police & fire commission has the right to do up the policy; Ruechel stated there’s also something about extraterritorial…; Gering stated the commission has to sit with the both Chief’s and see if any changes or rewrites are needed….we have two examples right here…stating their was no intention by Ruechel or Hoppe who lost his home….commission either has to make changes or don’t; Ruechel again stated he never received the 1982 policy; Jenny Saffran questioned if Ruechel will be allowed to continue living outside the city limits until the policy is reviewed; Berth questioned the residency ordinance that the city is adopting, who will affect; Belongia stated that the draft ordinance is posted and will only affect four positions, Administrator, Director of Public Services, Park & Recreation Director and the Superintendent of Public Facilities;
Moved by Gering seconded by Longsine to extend Jeff Ruechel and Mike Hoppe’s time to move back into the city limits till such time as the policy is reviewed by the Police & Fire Commission.
Motion carried upon verbal voice vote. 5 ayes

c. 2009 budgets and memo regarding no major purchases; Chief Carper questioned the commission on new copier that was budgeted for; Olson questioned what does major purchases mean? Mayor stated major purchases would be vehicles and equipment; Hoppe stated once the budget is passed the money is there to spend; Mayor stated Jack Maas as Finance Chair is concerned with the economy and how this will affect the revenue from the state; Hayes questioned Chief Carper on receiving bids on copiers to have a comparison; Chief Carper stated this copier will be networked and allow for transmission to courthouse departments; Hoppe questioned recorder which was budgeted for; Gering questioned if this could wait; Craig Henry informed the commission on the need for replacing the recorder; Chief Hoppe estimated new recorder at $8,000; Gering questioned why the officers couldn’t communicate by radio…if it’s been out for 2 years; Andrew Hoppe stated urgency on getting this equipment replaced; Belongia stated the EMS fund had a balance at 12/31/07 of $26,800….could use these funds;
Moved by Longsine seconded by Berth to allow for the purchase of a new recorder at an estimated cost of $8,000 utilizing EMS funds.

Hayes questioned Chief Hoppe if we were applying for grants for training; Chief Hoppe estimated EMS training amounts to $1,000 per firefighter; grants are no longer available for this….stating Andrew Hoppe applies for all available grants; Chief Carper stated there used to be grants for law enforcement training through the state patrol academy…Hayes stated he just wanted to make it known that communities around us are getting grants….per an article in the paper;

Motion carried upon verbal voice vote. 5 ayes

d. Letter from Dennis Ladwig informing the commission of his retirement effected 2/28/09.
Chief Hoppe stated his records show Ladwig’s last day should be 2/21/09;
Moved by Hayes seconded by Gering to accept letter of retirement
from Dennis Ladwig and have a letter of appreciation sent to Mr. Ladwig.
Motion carried upon verbal voice vote. 5 ayes

Chief Hoppe questioned replacement for Officer Ladwig…. commission still has two on the lists of potential new hires from the last hiring; Longsine questioned if there are any individuals interested in being a firefighter; Chief Hoppe stated the only two he can think of would be Dennis McDonald and Jonathon Ladwig; Berth questioned if we have any new part-timers? Chief Hoppe stated no; Berth stated we should open this back up; Hoppe stated he has 13 paid on call…. would like to get more…possibly 4 more…. for a total of 17, 18 or 19…. has turnout gear for that many officers…received this equipment through a grant;

Chief Hoppe authorized to notify the paid on call employees of the upcoming open position and bring this to the next Police & Fire Commission meeting.

Belongia asked to schedule a meeting with Atty. Kalny ASAP to meet with the commission on reviewing/changed police & fire policy;

e. Deer registration revenue; Chief Hoppe stated the TV the fire dept is using is borrowed;
Moved by Berth seconded by Longsine approve of expenditure up to $1,000 for a TV for the Fire Dept dayroom.
Motion carried upon verbal voice vote. 5 ayes

9 & 10. Discussion on monthly financial reports; Belongia stated we are working with the auditors to come up with an excel report that will be more user friendly for the commissioners to review; verbal consensus…commissioners want to see the revenues, expenditures and the cash balance on the ambulance;
Moved by Hayes seconded by Gering to approve of the monthly department reports and accounts payables and the check register as presented.
Chief Carper questioned that he will work with Jason from the Humane Society on better record keeping.
5 ayes
11. Moved by Hayes seconded by Berth to approve of the expense and revenue reports as presented.
Motion carried upon verbal voice vote. 5 ayes

12. Chief Carper stated he will have a report on the Chief’s conference he will be attending 2/16, 17 & 18 for the next meeting.
13. Moved by Gering seconded by Berth to adjourn. M/C
Meeting adjourned at 7:30 p.m.

Minutes submitted by
Linda M. Belongia
Administrator