HomeMy WebLinkAbout1995-11-20 96-32 RESOLVEWNL) of Ptill But, Aldine
November 15. 1995
TO THE IE RS OF THE CITY LOUNCILI
Notice Ie hallby Ylvan that Al epOCIMI Mating " the CItV Cadn"' "111 M
be hold at THE CIVIC CENTER, 100 DUTIES STREET. BANGOR. MAINE
ON MONDAY, NOVEMBER 20, 1995
at 7:00 "clod, P.M.
to HOLD A SPECIAL METING POR CONSIDERATION OF RESOLVE N96-32 6 ORDER M96-33
96-32 RESOLVE Supporting Efforts to Evaluate and Implement Regional
Cooperation in the Fine Service
96-33 DOER Authorizing a Transfer from the General Fond Contingency
Acccunt for Professional Assistance in Evaluating Additional
Areas of Fire Service Cooperation
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Assigned to Councilor Sullivan November 20, 1995
555
CITY
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(TITLE)PSOIUP supporting Ef forte to Evaluate and Implement
.........................._..__.........._............._........_...._......�.._._.._...
Regional Cooperation in the Fire Service
By Nw CityC tdtlw City oJBnnpw:
]UNSOLVED,
WHEREAS,
the Fire Departments of the Communities of Bangor,
Brewer, Old Town, and Orono have a long tradition of
cooperation and mutual assistance in their commitment
to preserve and protect lives and property in their
communities; and
wNERBAs,
the Fire Chiefs of these communities have been meeting
for several years to discuss and explore ways of
further enhancing this cooperative relationship in
order to improve the services provided and maintain or
reduce costs; and
wNEBEAs,
recently, this effort has been expanded through the
involvement of the managers and Chief elected
Officials of these communities; and
WHEREAS,
these participants have agreed that greater regional
cooperation in the provision of fire services can be
beneficial to the citizens of our region through
providing improved services on a more cost-effective
bas's; and
traz S,
in order to evaluate and quantify additional ways in
which the respective Fire Services can enhance
cooperation, the participants in thisprocess have
recommended that a report be prepared which outlines
areae for additional cooperation including --but not
limited to --such areas as cooperative purchasing,
improved equipment utilisation, enhanced mutual aid,
regional training, and the issues and feasibility
Involved in functional consolidation; and
WHEREAS,
improved cooperation in the provision of fire and
_
related emergency response a rvicee is in the beet
interest of the citizens of our community.
96-33
NOW, THBREFORH, BE IT RESOLVED THAT: the City Council of the City
of Bangor barely supports efforts to evaluate and implement
enhanced regional cooperation in the provision of fire
services. Further, we support the recommendation that a
report be prepared which outlines additional areas of fire
service cooperation and the issuance of a request for
proposals for professional assistance in this effort. We
recognise the cownitment of the Fire Chiefs of Bangor,
Brewer, Old Town and Orono in pursuing enhanced regional
cooperation, and we look forward to working with these
communities in the furtherance of this effort.
F.
IN CITY COUNCIL
November 20, 1995
Passed
CITY CLERK
"1,
96-32
N E S 0 L V E
Supporting Efforts to Evalutete and
Implement Regional Cooperation in the
FirerrNta/�Service
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AGENDA
JOINT MEETING OF THE CITY COUNCIIS
OF BANGOR, BREWER, OLD TOWN AND ORONO
Mandav N b 20 199517-OOp�aa ar C' ' Cent
1. Calle to Order - Various Mayors
(Bangor, Brewer, Old Town, Orono)
2. Staff Presentation
(a) Background on Fire Service Cooperation -- John
Foley, Bangor Fire Chief
(b) Review of Request for Proposals -- Consulting
Services, Harold Parks, Brewer City Manager
(c) Review of Proposed Resolve -- Gerald Kempen, Town
Manager, Orono
3. Questions and Discussion -- Councilors
9. Public Cosasent
5. Resolve, -Supposing efforts to Evaluate and Implement
Enhanced Regional Cooperation in the Fire Service," and any
other Council Actions or Discussions
(a) Brewer City Council
(b) Hangar City Council
(c) Old Town City Council
(d) Orono Town Council. (Workshop discussion only)
6. Adjournments -- Various Councils'
(Orono, Old Town, Brewer, Bangor)
mlw* �
To: Honorable Council Chair and Members of the City Council
From: Edward A. Barrett, City Manager
Re: Monday Night's Regional Meeting on Fire Service
Cooperation
Date: November 15, 1995
As I mentioned at the last Council meeting, a meeting of the four
Councils of the communities of Bangor, Brewer, Old Town, and
Orono has been scheduled for 7:00 em on Monday_ Nanambnx 20. 1995
at the Bangor Civic Center. An agenda and background information
on this meeting is attached for your information.
In general, the purpose of the meeting is to request that the
four Councils of these communities support efforts which have
been underway for some time to work toward better cooperation in
the fire service and to evaluate the potential for certain
functional consolidations or organizational consolidations in the
future. This effort was initiated by the four Fire Chiefs of
these communities several years ago and has, over the last year
or so, included the involvement of the respective managers of
these communities and mayors or council chairs. Most recently,
representatives of the respective communities met in Augusta to
hear from individuals who have performed studies of consolidation
or participated in consolidations of fire departments.
At Monday night's meeting, various staff members of the
respective communities will present the Councils with background
information on this effort and the Councils will be asked to pass
a Resolve supporting these efforts.
In addition, the respective staffs will be requesting that the
Councils support the issuance of a Request for Proposals for Fire
Service Consulting services which would develop a feasibility
study outlining a fire and emergency medical services plan for
all of the participating agencies. In particular, the study will
identify and evaluate such areas of cooperation as purchasing,
supplies, training, operations, number and location of fire
stations, equipment utilization, and staffing patterns. Overall,
the fire chiefs, managers, and mayors and council chairs who have
been involved in this process believe that cooperative efforts in
the fire service can be an effective mechanism to both improve
the level of services provided to the respective communities and
to hold down or reduce the costs of the fire service. The
estimated cost of this study will be in the range of $90,000.
Our actions on Monday will include a request that the City
Council transfer $10,000 from our general fund contingency
account for our share of the cost of this study.
In discussing the status of this process with the managers of the
other three communities, Brewer is prepared to act on the
attached Resolve on Monday night as is Old Town. Brewer already
has funding available for the study, and i anticipate that Old
Town will take the necessary steps either Monday orat its next
Council meeting to provide funding.I believe that we are in a
position to take action should you so desire. The Town of Orono,
while supportive of this effort, has indicated that they will be
convening Monday in a Workshop Session and plan to take action on
the attached Resolve at their regular meeting in December.
Apparently, the Council feels that it is more appropriate for
them to act in a regular meeting in their own community than at a
special meeting in Bangor.
I would recommend that the City Council support these efforts.
Past Council Chair Sullivan has been involved in these meetings
and discussions, and I believe that he would also request that
you support these efforts.
To the best of my knowledge, Monday's meeting will be the first
of its kind in many years. While there have been occasions where
the Bangor City Council has meet directly with the Brewer City
Council, I do not believe that there have been instances where
four separate councils will be meeting together to address an
issue of mutual cooperation. Given the continuing financial
constraints on municipalities in Maine and the Governor's recent
and continuing calls for closer cooperation between
municipalities, I believe that this effort should be pursued and
that we should make a strong attempt to try to define and
identify other areas where cooperation can both improve the
quality of services provided and hold down or reduce our costs.
Should you have any questions regarding these issues, please feel
free to contact me. I look forward to seeing all of you at
Monday's special meeting.
Edward A. Barrett, City Manager
EA8/jdr
Attachments _