Public Safety Ad Hoc Committee

CITY OF VERONA MINUTES PUBLIC SAFETY AD HOC COMMITTEE TASK FORCE MEETING FEBRUARY 21, 2013 VERONA CITY HALL 1. The meeting was called to order by Council President McGilvray at 5:30 p.m. 2. Roll Call: Chief Bernie Coughlin, Chief Brian Myrland, Chief Joe Giver, Delora Newton, Mike Goetz, Joleen Semmann, Mac McGilvray, Clark Solowicz, Scott Manley, John Wickstrom, Jon Hochkammer. Absent (excused): Diane Smith. Others Present: Bill Burns, City Administrator; Adam Sayre, Director of Planning and Development. 3. Introduction and Role of the Committee Council President McGilvray and Mayor Hochkammer thanked the members for agreeing to serve on the committee and provided an overview of the committee’s role. The City is planning to construct a facility to house the Verona Fire Department and Fitch-Rona EMS. The Committee will assist with the planning, design, and construction process for the new facility. 4. Update on Discussions between the City and Town of Verona Regarding a Fire Service Agreement Mr. Burns provided an update on discussions between the City and Town of Verona regarding Fire Service. The City and Town have negotiated an agreement to dissolve the Verona Fire District at the end of 2013. The City and Town would then enter into a 30-year contract for fire services. Under the terms of the contract, the City would establish a City Fire Department that would provide serviced to the Town in exchange for annual payments. In addition, the Town would surrender its interest in current fire station and surrounding land and the City would agree to cover the cost of a new facility. It is anticipated that the City Council and Town Board will be acting on the new agreements in March of 2013. 5. Review of Prior Studies Regarding a Fire and EMS Facility Mr. Burns provided an overview of the Bray and S.E.H. studies which reviewed the current fire station facility and provided an initial space needs assessment and location study. The Bray study provided a range of cost estimates ranging from some minor renovations and building additions to a full construction of a new facility with 41,723 square feet at an estimated cost of $7,752,900. The S.E.H. report recommended that a new station be constructed at the current site to best serve the current and future needs of the department. S.E. H. also recommended constructing a new facility rather than renovation and expanding the existing station. 6. Discussion of Next Steps for the Facility Planning Process and a Future Meeting Scheduled for the Committee The committee members discussed the approach to the project. Comments included: • The committee should start by looking at the overall strategy for the facility and establish goals and guiding principles. • The City should attempt to avoid the need to construct separate fire and ems facilities. • The current site is not a bad location. While the City has been open to alternatives, the window for considering other options is closing. • The Fire Department is working with Five Bugles on an updated space needs analysis. • The City should consider future growth areas and land use plans when selecting a station location. • One of the guiding principles should be to best deliver services in a cost-effective manner over the next thirty plus years. • There should be a commitment that the project will not go over budget. • It would be helpful for at least some members of the committee to tour facilities in other communities. • It was suggested that the committee set a goal of providing a report by October to present at the joint Verona Fire District meeting. This would also provide estimated costs for the 2014 budget. • The committee will meet again around the end of March at the current Verona Fire Station. 7. Adjournment: Motion by Hochkammer, seconded by Solowicz, to adjourn the meeting at 6:30 p.m. Motion carried 11-0. Respectfully submitted, Bill Burns, City Administrator 2