HomeMy WebLinkAbout2003-08-04 Strategic Issues Committee MinutesSTRATEGIC ISSUES COMMITTEE
MINUTES
August 4, 2003
Councilors Present: Nichi Famham, Frank Farrington, Gerry Palmer, John Rohman,
Richard Greene, David Nealley, Michael Crowley, Dan Tremble
Staff Present: Bob Farrar, John Hamer, Chief Winslow, Chief Cammack
Other Present: Assistant Chief Cyr, Dawn Gagnon
The meeting convened at 5:00 p.m.
1. Regional Dispatch — Equipment, Operational, and Management Issues
Farrar stated that during the budget process, the Council had requested staff to
present a list of Issues that might affect the eventual decision of whether or not to
Join Regional Dispatch. He said that the Issues have been broken into three
different areas - equipment, operations, and management, and each has been given
a priority rating by the Chiefs. (1 is high, 2 is moderate and 3 is important) The
intent tonight is to review the items with Council prior W meeting with County
represemafives. This will provide the Council with an opportunity to modify the list
or priorities, or W ask questions of the Chiefs.
Chief Winslow started with the equipment list and briefed the Committee on the
various components of CCN monitors, alpha numeric paging, compatible phone
system, Zetron Dispatch, capability to monitor and transmit on TAC 3, CAD
software, mobile data terminals, unit idendfication capability, capability to monitor
tactical frequencies, and encryption ability. All have been given a priority of 1 with
the exception of the last two Items which have been given a 2.
Tremble wanted to know if the portable radios had a GPS, to which the Chief replied
no.
Under operational issues, Winslow discussed the following items, provide enroute
Information, dedicated consoles, dispatcher continuity, commanding officer allowed
to access PRCC and monitor fire alarm system, all with a priority of 1. Attendance at
roll calls is a priority 2, and maintain incident sheet is a priority, 3.
Crowley wanted to know If the City currently has two dispatchers on at all times.
Winslow mid that we usually have at least 3 when fully staffed.
Tremble wanted to know if the calls break down evenly for Police and Fire. Winslow
said that with two dispatchers on, one Is dedicated to Police and one to Fire. If one
gets overloaded the other dispatcher will assist. He said this works better for
continuity purposes.
Winslow mid that both management issues, adequate representation on PRCC Policy
Board and assurance that PRCC is adequately staffed, are a priority 1.
Rohman wanted to know how many dispatchers the City currently has. Winslow
mid that we have six, however we are authorized to have ten. He noted that the
City has just offered a position to an applicant Winslow said that although he has
been operating with just sic dispatchers, he has been supplementing with overtime.
Palmer wanted to know how our red line system Is. Cammack said that the red box
system Is supervised and maintained by the City electrical department. He noted
that some of the buildings are city property and we may need to contract with
someone to monitor the lines if we went with PRCC. Cammack said that If someone
else is monitoring the boxes, it may take 3-8 minutes for the Fire Department to find
out about the incident. He estimated that the City had 150 fire call boxes.
Palmer mid that PRCC Is in need of more space, and the City is loolung at a new
police station. Is this something we should look at as a joint venture? Chief
Winslow sald that In speaking with the City Manager, there is reluctance on the
CounWs part to have us house the regional communication services, because other
agencies that use their services would be jealous. Winslow said that he thought it
would be a great idea.
Tremble wanted to know if the Airport might be a consideretion to monitor the fire
boxes if the PRCC could not.
Farrington said that one of the biggest issues is cost; however we will discuss this in
executive session. He commented that he thought that the County technology was
inferior to the CVs. He wanted to know if there was any area where the County
technology was superior to the CLLys. Winslow said that he was not intimately
familiar with the PRCC computers, however he did know that they have touch
screen computers and their radios are integrated with their computers, which is
newer technology than what the City has. He said that the City uses the same
software as the County. He said that the County currently does not have
alphanumeric paging or encryption ability.
Farrington wanted to know what the other communities might want from the PRCC,
and that if we do not regionalize, then this part of the state may lag behind the
lower part of the state. He said that we need to look at the long term and weigh
the benefits against any short -tens problems.
Nealley wanted to know whidl Items would most likely be stumbling blocks from the
City potentially merging with regional dispatch, and what would be the transition
Vine to resolve the issues. He said that the City should have appropriate
representation on the board. Winslow said the most difficult issues would be the
management issues, making sure the PRCC is adequately staffed and representation
an the policy board. One county commissioner has commented that the PRCC will
not be hiring 10 dispatchers t Bangor comes on board. There is a strong resistance
to monitoring the fire alarm system at PRCC, and they have had similar requests
from other fire departments that they provide their service to and they Flatly
refused. The fear is that if they do R for Bangor, than they will have a to of other
fire departments asking for the same service. Winslow said that they may have an
Issue with dispatcher continuity. Right now at PRCC, any dispatcher in the room
may answer a 911 call and then forwards theinfo to the dispatcher handling the
appropriate town. Winslow said that if we did go regional, it would be 9-6 months
before they took on Bangor. Cammack said that we do have two seats on the
County board, because he is the Chair of Penobscot County Chiefs, and the Bangor
Fire Department seat is held be Assistant Chief Cyr. He said that R should be
weightetl that if Bangor is going W be paying the biggest part, then we should have
most say. Nealley said that we would probably be "2lsing the bar" for county
dispatch.
Crowley asked if there is an intentional redundancy built in with Bangor Fire/Police
Department operating dispatch and County operating dispatch, that if anything were
to go down with the County then Bangor would be the back up operating system.
Winslow said that for 911, the State Police is the backup. Bangor said that we do
not have the capabilities to communicate with the agencies that Penobscot deals
with. Crawley agreed with Farrington that we need to regionalize different services,
however, there are two ways to look at regionalization. One is whether or not the
City wants to go with the County and utilize their service, or whether or not R is an
option for municipalities to contract with another alternative. He said that we may
be able to produce some enterprise activity that could reduce our costs and maintain
regionalization.
Allen saitl that we are back to where we were 2-3 weeks ago. Farnham said that
our charge tonight was to review the Ilst and with Council approval go forward with
the City's priorities. Winslow said that N there are other Renis that do not appear on
the list that Council would like to see addressed, then this is the opportunity to do
SO.
Allen said that her concern with regionalism is the ability to respond to a situation as
well as the management issues. She said that It is too bad that the public sector is
having such difficulty with this when you look at the private sector and you look at
some of the regional issues that they have engaged in. There are situations where
they have put together organizations that do work. She mid that this Is a challenge
to the staff to make regionalism the way to go.
Palmer wanted to know if staffs list is Inclusive at this point. Winslow mid the
Issues that are not addressed on this list are things like the fact that the police
department is not going to be open 24 hours a day and the issues with union
negotiations. He mid this list includes the tangible items. He said that there may
be issues that come up that we have not yet thought of and that it is hard to place a
value on the police department not being open at 3 a.m., or not being able to walk
out of the commanding officers office and walk into dispatch and have control over
a situation.
Palmer wanted to know what the discussion process would be like with rite County.
Winslow mid that we would present the list to Cliff Wells and discuss with him.
Ultimately the county commissioners have the final say. The advisory board would
review most of them issues and make a recommendation to the county
commissioners. Winslow mid that most likely we would be in front of the
commissioners and deal directly with them.
Farrington mid that we have a lot of healthy tension if we regionalize, and the
debate is whether we would strengthen or weaken the county system.
Nealley mid that it does make senor to have the largest city in the region provide
the service, and noted that Crowley's ideas was provocative.
Allen supports Crowley's idea and wanted to know how we would burden the other
communities if we were to go on board the county system.
Farnham wanted to know if there was a sense that we could get the chiefs and
Bob/Ed to go forward with this list. Farrar mid that we need a general consensus to
move forward with the process and the Council gave consensus to proceed. Farrar
said that staff will set up a mewing with the county and report back to the Council.
The Committee voted to go into executive session.
2. Executive Session — Legal Issue—Consultation with City Legal Staff
Regarding Rights, Duties and Obligations Involving Penobscot County
Regional Dispatch.
3. Executive Session — Land Acquisition— Bangor Police Department
Headquarters
There was no action taken In public session following the Executive Session. The
meeting adjourned at 6:45 p.m.