Public Health & Safety Committee

TUMWATER PUBLIC HEALTH AND SAFETY COMMITTEE MINUTES OF VIRTUAL MEETING November 14, 2023 Page 1 CONVENE: 8:00 a.m. PRESENT: Chair Leatta Dahlhoff and Councilmembers Peter Agabi and Angela Jefferson. Staff: City Administrator Lisa Parks, City Attorney Karen Kirkpatrick, Finance Director Troy Niemeyer, Fire Chief Brian Hurley, Police Chief Jon Weiks, Assistant Fire Chief Shawn Crimmins, Police Commander Jay Mason, Communications Manager Ann Cook, and Police Administrative Supervisor Laura Wohl. CHANGES TO AGENDA: There were no changes to the agenda. APPROVAL OF MINUTES: PUBLIC HEALTH & SAFETY COMMITTEE, OCTOBER 10, 2023: MOTION: Councilmember Jefferson moved, seconded by Councilmember Agabi, to approve the minutes of October 10, 2023 as presented. A voice vote approved the motion. AGREEMENT WITH Fire Chief Hurley briefed members on a proposed agreement with the THE CONFEDERATED Confederated Tribes of the Chehalis Reservation for Fire Protection TRIBES OF THE and Emergency Services. CHEHALIS RESERVATION FOR Staff and the tribe have been working on an agreement to provide FIRE PROTECTION AND services for the tribe’s Exit 99 reservation properties. The area is EMERGENCY comprised of two areas with one property containing two parcels SERVICES: housing the Flying J Truck Stop and a new wellness center. The second property includes three properties with an existing business. Services provided include fire and emergency services. The discussions began in 2022 when the City recognized its responsibility to provide fire and emergency services within City limits. During discussions with the tribe, both parties recognized a common interest of participating in a voluntary agreement for the City to provide services and receive compensation for the services. As the tribe is federally recognized, the properties are tax exempt. The proposal is an initial two-year agreement with payment by the tribe to the City of $32,500 per year. Beginning in the third year, the amount would be adjusted to reflect a CPI escalator. In 2022, the fire department responded to 33 calls for service at those properties primarily involving the truck stop. Since the beginning of 2023, the department has responded to 22 calls for service. TUMWATER PUBLIC HEALTH AND SAFETY COMMITTEE MINUTES OF VIRTUAL MEETING November 14, 2023 Page 2 The proposed agreement supports Strategic Priorities and Goals 2023- 24 to Provide and Sustain Quality Public Safety Services and Build a Community Recognized for Quality, Compassion, and Humanity. Staff requests the committee recommend the Agreement with the Confederated Tribes of the Chehalis Reservation for Fire Protection and Emergency Services to the Council for approval at its next Council meeting. Councilmember Jefferson requested information on how the annual amount was calculated. Fire Chief Hurley explained that the proposal was based on a cost per call basis in terms of the cost to the Tumwater Fire Department to respond to a call. The analysis considered the department’s operating budget and dividing that amount by the number of annual calls to establish a per call cost. The fire department receives over 6,000 calls for service each year. The department also had some available data on the number of calls to the property and considered those factors in the contract amount. The initial amount was near $50,000; however, the contract was a negotiation with the tribe and City able to agree on a final amount. During the third year, the agreement includes application of the CPI index to the contract amount. Chair Dahlhoff asked whether the amount is a basic calculation or whether the type of calls was factored as well. Fire Chief Hurley said the amount did not factor the type of calls. The amount is based on an operating cost approach. MOTION: Councilmember Jefferson moved, seconded by Councilmember Agabi, to recommend the Agreement with the Confederated Tribes of the Chehalis Reservation for Fire Protection and Emergency Services to the Council for approval at the next Council meeting. A voice vote approved the motion. INTERGOVERNMENTAL Assistant Fire Chief Crimmins reported the request is an amendment EMS CONTRACT to the current contract for advanced life services (ALS). In January ADVANCED LIFE 2023, Thurston County Medic One and the City of Tumwater executed SUPPORT (ALS) a contract for advanced life support coverage by Fire Department FUNDING AMENDMENT Paramedics. The contract stipulates that any modifications to the NO. 1: contract must be in writing and signed by both parties to the contract. The standard of care for ALS units in Thurston County is two paramedics assigned to one Medic unit. Tumwater Fire Department is assigned Medic 5 as well as a medic unit stationed in the Rochester area from the Tumwater Fire Department. The amendment enables TUMWATER PUBLIC HEALTH AND SAFETY COMMITTEE MINUTES OF VIRTUAL MEETING November 14, 2023 Page 3 staffing of a paramedic and an EMT in extreme situations, such as during a mass casualty incident such as a train accident or another pandemic, during extreme call volumes, any other natural disaster to enable staffing of a medic unit with a paramedic and an EMT. The staffing configuration is for a limited timeframe as the City’s standard of care is staffing one medic unit with paramedics. Staff recommends referring the proposed amendment to the City Council for approval. Councilmember Jefferson asked whether the increase in response times would enable modification of the contract to make the change permanent based on budgets and other constraints. Assistant Fire Chief Crimmins said the recent increase in response times is typically for basic life support call volume that tends to increase annually. Thurston County Medic One is examining response calls and call volumes and possibly adding another paramedic unit within the county to address call times. The county medic system operates on a two-paramedic system. The intent is to continue that system as there are many benefits. Councilmember Agabi asked about the current level of staffing. Assistant Fire Chief Crimmins advised that the current staffing level includes two paramedics assigned to each of the department’s paramedic units. The City of Tumwater is assigned Medic 5 and Medic 14 (Rochester). The proposal does not affect staffing but rather enables those situations involving a natural disaster or other serious event to add another medic unit with a paramedic and an EMT rather than two paramedics. Chair Dahlhoff referred to the fire study since the regional fire authority measure was not passed by voters. She asked whether the study would address future staffing needs. Fire Chief Hurley replied that the department’s strategic planning will consider all phases of the department’s operations. Thurston County Medic One is a major partner for the department and other local jurisdictions. How the service is provided will be part of the study moving forward. MOTION: Councilmember Agabi moved, seconded by Councilmember Jefferson, to recommend the Intergovernmental EMS Contract Advanced Life Support (ALS) Funding Amendment No. 1 with Thurston County Medic One to the Council for approval at the next Council meeting. A voice vote approved the motion. TUMWATER PUBLIC HEALTH AND SAFETY COMMITTEE MINUTES OF VIRTUAL MEETING November 14, 2023 Page 4 ADDITIONAL ITEMS: Chair Dahlhoff noted that future agenda items include an update from the School Resource Officer at the December meeting; however, the schedule does not reflect any update about the code violation process or a timeline or update on the Police Study. She asked for an approximate date for the updates. City Attorney Kirkpatrick advised that staff scheduled an update on District Court services at the January meeting. City Administrator Parks advised that staff continues to work on the code enforcement process and potential process improvements with an update planned at the beginning of new year. The master plan for the Police Department is underway with focus groups completed. An update would likely be early next year. Police Chief Weiks reported the department completed meetings with focus groups during the month with staff currently processing data. The committee will receive an update at the end of the first quarter next year. Chair Dahlhoff noted that the Council has scheduled a retreat in January to review and identify new or update strategic goals and priorities. She asked how the Council could be informed if the study information would not be available prior to the retreat. City Administrator Parks advised that the Council retreat is anticipated to be a two-step process with the January meeting focused on a team building exercise with strategic goals and priorities of focus during the meeting at the end of February 2024. At that time, staff should be able to provide some preliminary data from both the fire study and the police study to help inform the Council moving forward. Councilmember Jefferson asked about the status of discussion on establishing a youth coalition. She is hopeful that staff schedules a discussion within the next quarter. Councilmember Agabi referred to his previous request earlier in the year for disciplinary data involving School Resource Officers in the Tumwater School District, which was never presented. He asked for the committee to revisit the issue. Police Chief Weiks advised of the possibility of requesting disciplinary data from the school district; however, the police department is not actively involved in the school district discipline process. Staff will forward a request to the school district. ADJOURNMENT: With there being no further business, Chair Dahlhoff adjourned the meeting at 8:24 a.m. TUMWATER PUBLIC HEALTH AND SAFETY COMMITTEE MINUTES OF VIRTUAL MEETING November 14, 2023 Page 5 Prepared by Valerie L. Gow, Recording Secretary/President Puget Sound Meeting Services, psmsoly@earthlink.net