5b Hanover Area Fire and Rescue Commission

Minutes Hanover Area Fire and Rescue Commission Meeting Held Thursday, March 18, 2021 at 5:30 p.m. Via ZOOM The Hanover Area Fire and Rescue Commission met March 18, 2021 via the virtual platform ZOOM. NOTE: The virtual meeting statement read by Treasurer Sam Miller prior to the opening of this meeting is shown at the end of these minutes. Present at the meeting: • Penn Township Commissioners Michael Brown, Justin Heiland (alternate), and Manager Kristina Rodgers • Hanover Borough Councilmen William Reichart, Christopher Lockard and Manager Nan Dunford • Hanover Area Fire and Rescue Chief Anthony Clousher, Treasurer Sam Miller, Executive Assistant Vanessa Larson, and EMS Captain Claudia Christensen • Volunteers Steve Otis and Jeffrey Spielman representing Hanover Area Volunteer Fire and Rescue • EMA Coordinator Jeff Waltman and Solicitor Iannacone Vice-Chair Reichart called the meeting to order at 5:33 p.m. Secretary Larson completed a rollcall; six voting members are present; there is a quorum. Announcement of Executive Session: No Executive Sessions were held. Public Comment: None Approval of the Minutes: Members Brown and Otis moved for the approval of the minutes from the February 18, 2021 meeting. Motion carried unanimously. Approval of the Fire Report: Members Lockard and Brown moved for the approval of the February 2021 Fire Report. Motion carried unanimously. Treasurers Report: o Items of interest on the February P&L Budget vs. Actual: o Property owners will be contacted for past due amounts on Gamewell invoicing. o Chief Clousher is working with the Workmen’s Compensation agent in bringing HAVFR onto the current Commission plan, the invoiced amount is not correct at this time. o HAVFR and the Relief Association reimbursed the Commission for their vehicle coverage on the VFIS policy. o The $12,371 PEMA reimbursement will be reclassified as grant monies received. March 18, 2021 Meeting Page 1 of 4  o Referencing the February Balance Sheet, PTVES’ 2020 payroll costs have been reimbursed to the Commission in full. We will continue to monitor and project against future receipts. Approval of March 2021 Accounts Payable and Financial Report: Members Lockard and Brown moved for the approval of the February 2021 Accounts Payable and Financial Reports. Motion carried unanimously. Committee Reports: o Finance & Personnel o Treasurer Miller clarified the memo he provided for the meeting, the recommendation pertained to moving Chief Clousher and Vanessa Larson under the Commission payroll with matching benefits. On an annual basis, the difference is approximately $10,000. Fire pensions and Act 205 would have to be addressed if we combined for a joint contract, and it would be better done all at once, with Firefighters, Chief Clousher, and Vanessa Larson transitioning at the same time. There were difficulties in retaining quotes based on only two employees. Volunteer Otis questioned Treasurer Miller, as we already have EMS employees; Treasurer Miller indicated the benefit package is entirely different. o Commissioner Brown expressed his concerns if we are not able to negotiate a combined contract. He asked to go on record that if those negotiations fail, he will choose to move on the above issue at that point, or upon the hiring of the next Chief and/or any administrative hires. They would be hired as Commission employees. o Facilities & Apparatus Mr. Spielman stated some changes have taken place since his original report was distributed: o Wirt Park’s heating and air conditioning unit on the second floor is still problematic. ESG contacted Stauffer & Co. from Chambersburg, who has returned twice since, at one point replacing contaminated freon. o Clover Lane – progress has been made on the separator tank issue in the apparatus bay. Bids were received from two companies with confined space certification, the lowest bid will be selected. In addition, the building sprinkler system failed last week due to a valve issue. o Both Wirt Park and Clover Lane – Conewago Enterprises is quoting resealing around the perimeters of the building, as well as cement repairs. o Clearview Station – the committee met at this station to look at the future of the kitchen and bunkroom areas. In addition, the attic fans are not commercial grade and need replaced. o Erik Brown approached Volunteer Spielman concerning flag bunting and/or a line-of- duty death bunting. Two local companies have donated funds to complete the project (Elsner Engineering Works, Inc. and Panebaker Funeral Home and Cremation Care Center.) o Operations Committee: No meeting was held in February. March 18, 2021 Meeting Page 2 of 4  o Fire Chief’s Report: o COVID update – 67 percent of our providers have been vaccinated. We are in Phase 1 of our Epidemiological Plan, allowing in-person meetings with required masks and social distancing. In-person training will begin to take place. o EMS Report o EMS ran 314 calls in February, down 62 from last year. Ambulance 79-3 has been out of service since July 2020, that vehicle would normally run 58-60 calls a month. o Sixteen transportable calls were missed in February. o We have received only one notification of a COVID infection in the last 30 days, we continue to use PPE. o Transitioning into the ESO software is going smoothly. Manager Rodgers stated we are in line with the state average of Public Safety Employees vaccinations (Fire & EMT) with 50-70 percent state-wide having received vaccines. o EMA Report: Jeff Waltman o EMA Deputy Coordinator Josh Otis will attend quarterly training with Mr. Waltman on 2021 PEMA Damage Report updates. o Mr. Waltman will be submitting another round of COVID reimbursement to FEMA. o Reminders will be sent to managers that elected officials and employees who may be involved in emergency response are now required to have NIMS training (National Incident Management System) through FEMA. The training is online at this time. Mr. Waltman will distribute information and access to the training. NIMS100 training is online as well. The EMS employees have all updated their NIMS, the firefighters will begin their updates. o Chief Clousher and Mr. Waltman have discussed planning for a regional emergency operations emergency center. The presence of an EOC is mandated by the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania. Mr. Waltman is moving forward in developing a traditional Emergency Operations Plan. He will request to meet with local elected officials. Unfinished Business: None New Business: o Chief Clousher stated as COVID cases are decreasing, he inquired about our April meeting. Commissioner Brown and Heiland, Councilman Lockard and Reichart suggested in-person meetings. o The meetings were scheduled at the beginning of the year and the April meeting is scheduled at Penn Township. Penn Township’s Safety Committee will advise. Volunteer Spielman also suggested the availability of a fire station. o Claudia would like to request a meeting with the Finance & Personnel committee regarding joining the South-Central Task Force. Commissioner Brown will schedule a meeting when he receives a potential date from Volunteer Otis. o Treasurer Miller commented on the Cash Basis 2020 Audit Report that was distributed prior to this meeting, it was a clean audit. If there are any questions, please contact Chief Clousher or Vanessa Larson. March 18, 2021 Meeting Page 3 of 4 Public Comment: None At 6:09 p.m. motion to adjourn made by members Lockard and Brown. Motion carried unanimously. The next meeting is scheduled for Thursday April 15, 2021 at 5:30 p.m., location to be determined. Respectfully submitted, Vanessa Larson Recording Secretary Virtual Meeting Statement Good evening and welcome to the Hanover Area Fire and Rescue Commission meeting this 18th day of March 2021. My name is Sam Miller, and I am the Treasurer for the Commission, and will be administering this Zoom meeting tonight. Please note that this presentation along, with any individual video feeds and unmuted communications during our public comments section, are recorded and will be made available for viewing through shared video link thereafter through the Hanover Borough’s Vimeo page. A log of the chat feature will also be taken to assist with any documentation of minutes. This meeting was legally posted in advance and will provide adequate ability for public comment as required under this legislation while we remain in the Governor’s Emergency Declaration period. Throughout the meeting, all members of Commission, Managers of each municipality, Solicitor, Treasurer, and Secretary will be unmuted. All public will have the ability to comment during the meeting at designated public comment sections of our agenda, and I will facilitate that with our participants. Thank you for your understanding and patience as we proceed. I will now turn the meeting over Vice-Chair Reichart. March 18, 2021 Meeting Page 4 of 4