Central Vermont Public Safety Authority

Central Vermont Public Safety Authority “Together is Better” MINUTES OF MEETING SEPTEMBER 21, 2017 Board Present: Hoyt, Bate, Cheney, Prevost, Smith, Golonka, Dworkin, Others: Sager, Rubalcaba, Attorney Earl, Delacore, Heidin Meeting called to order at 6:30 PM agenda approved. Moved by Prevost, second by Hoyt the Vice Chair Smith be authorized to sign warrants in Treasurer Sager’s absence. Minutes of 8/28/2017 moved for approval by Prevost seconded by Hoyt and passed Executive Director, Paco Aumand, gave an oral report. No written report for this meeting. A meeting of the executive committee planned for earlier in the week was cancelled, neither Chief was available and other key participants also unavailable. Paco reported on a “table top” exercise at Montpelier dispatch implicating service to Capital West. A non- catastrophic event, inability to communicate by phone with 911 center via Montpelier phone, was staged. Time required to diagnose was reasonable, Barre involved to manage calls, incident was closed satisfactorily Paco met with Chief Bombardier and Facos earlier in the day. Both advised they could not support ceding dispatchers to the authority. 1. They wanted a third community involved with the Authority, 2. Believed there would be a possible 2018 legislative solution to problem that some communities must pay for dispatching services while others, (e.g. Berlin, Northfield, Waterbury) get State Police dispatching without cost. This has been a constant divisive discussion, that the Chief’s said needed to be resolved. 3. No compelling reason for change as system functioned well at present 4. There would be an added cost for a supervisor in Barre Golonka commented on his visit to Barre Dispatch, found an inefficient system of keeping track of incoming calls and progress by dispatcher making paper notes instead of entering in Valcour system. Dispatchers would like CAD system so data could be easily entered and followed, paper notes would not be effective if writer left her position in an emergency.  Central Vermont Public Safety Authority “Together is Better” Golonka noted that Montpelier was obligated to provide service to Capitol West but lacked a governing authority to support service to member towns. The authority, with Cap West as a member, could provide that structure to plan for continuing effective service. Without the authority, there is no regional governing body to which functionality issues could be brought up and resolved which adversely effects fire dispatching and safety Golonka also noted that Montpelier is contractually obligated to the Cap West towns but the system needs to be upgraded with simulcast and a new transmission tower to prevent being “walked on” by Quebec taxi services. Bate noted Montpelier has a n obligation to provide functioning service to the towns which it is not meeting. Earl also noted that lack of an Authority created a system where no regional body could bring technical services to the region. She felt some dispatchers would tell respective city councils they need improvements. Paco noted weakness in “May Day” fire communications that needed regional governance solution for uniformity. Golonka noted a phased approach would be progress, can’t do everything at once, In the meantime costs would be virtually the same, while regional needs and means of paying for them would be developed. A discussion of cost for the Authority followed, and principally involved increasing existing costs for inflation and salaries that would occur for each city. BOARD consensus was to move ahead and submit a request to each city to cede dispatching authority. Whether or not to proceed was not the Chief’s responsibility, it is the City Council’s. Meeting Adjourned 7:45 PM Respectfully submitted, Kimberly Cheney, Secretary.