04/21/2014 SPECIAL CITY COUNCIL MEETING MINUTES
CITY OF CLEARWATER
April 21, 2014
Present: Mayor George N. Cretekos, Vice Mayor Doreen Hock-DiPolito
Councilmember Hoyt Hamilton, Councilmember Bill Jonson,
Councilmember Jay E. Polglaze
Also Present: William B. Horne 11 — City Manager, Jill S. Silverboard - Assistant City
Manager, Rod Irwin - Assistant City Manager, Pamela K. Akin - City
Attorney, Rosemarie Call - City Clerk, Nicole Sprague - Official Records
and Legislative Services Coordinator
To provide continuity for research, items are listed in agenda order although not
necessarily discussed in that order.
1. Call to Order - Mayor George N. Cretekos
The meeting was called to order at 3:00 p.m. at City Hall.
Mayor Cretekos welcomed all and stated the purpose of the meeting was to discuss
EMS, as Pinellas County has been discussing the matter for some time.
2. Introduction
2.1 Opening Remarks by City Manager Bill Horne
The City Manager said the Pinellas County Board of Commissioners directed their
administration to move forward with the recommended changes for EMS services,
which included reducing the City's reimbursement. The City of Largo last week
approved a resolution pursuing conflict resolution procedures, challenging the EMS
Authority as reflected in the ALS agreement for October 1, 2014 through September 30,
2019. The City of Largo noticed all contract ALS providers of the conflict resolution
procedures and requested the contract providers to advise if there is a desire to
participate in the conflict resolution process as a primary conflicting governmental entity.
A response must be provided within 10 days of receiving notice. Staff will summarize
the proposed EMS service changes, describe the City's delivery system and impact of
the proposed changes, provide perspective from local IAFF and the impact to
bargaining unit. The City Manager said staff is requesting policy direction on the Largo
request; a resolution has been drafted for council consideration.
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3. Presentations — Given.
3.1 EMS on CARES Proposal - Dr. Bruce Moeller, Executive Director
Pinellas County Department of Safety and Emergency Services
Dr. Moeller provided a PowerPoint presentation. The analysis conducted last year show
First Responder Cost Assumptions, which includes the Clearwater Fire Department,
would continue to grow at an annual rate of 5% through the forecast period. Costs for
ambulance services would continue to grow at 6% through the forecast period. The
projected millage rate by 2023 will be 1.4088 mills. The growth in property valuation is
3%. The County's Proposal includes: reducing city/district overcapacity by their
proportionate share of$1.4 million for five years, beginning in Fiscal year 2015; indexing
increases to the lesser of the Price Index or 125% of taxable valuation based on actual
costs beginning in Fiscal Year 2018; reduce and cap Sunstar increases to 4%. The
Cares2 model shows fire departments countywide meeting the 7:30 response time
requirement 90% of the time. The Cares model adjusts funding during late night/early
morning hours when resources are not required. The Fire Chief will have access to the
performance metrics and can raise concerns with the County at any time.
3.2 Clearwater EMS Service Delivery System and the Impact of CARES Proposal on
Clearwater - Chief Robert Weiss
Clearwater Fire Chief provided a PowerPoint presentation. During 2013, the
department responded to 26,355 incidents. The average response time for EMS calls
emergency response is 4:44; the average response time for Fire calls emergency
response is 4:51. Fire Chief Weiss said the CARES 2 model's simulated the projected
response time for all Fire and EMS emergency responses is 4:28. The CARES 2 model
removes Rescues 46, 477 48, and 49 from service between 10:00 p.m. to 8:00 a.m.,
reduces daily minimum staffing (48 Full Time Equivalents) by 7 FTEs, and reduces
response vehicles from 16 to 12 from 10:00 p.m. to 8:00 a.m. The CARES 2 model
does not consider the following: actual historical data to determine response time
compliance, fire incidents for calls for service; and impact on overall operational
functions, training, multi-jurisdictional responses, water rescue and marine activities,
etc.
3.3 IAFF Local 1158 Remarks - Lt. John Klinefelter
Fire Lt. Klinefelter said the City's rescues are the busiest units in the county. He
expressed concerns with Pinellas County shifting the cost to provide EMS service to
Clearwater. Twenty-seven percent of the calls in the county are handled by contracted
ALS units. He expressed concerns with CARES 2 data calculations, as it did not
account for all the calls or the man-hours needed to adequately respond to emergency
calls.
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4. Council Discussion Items
4.1 Q & A's
In response to questions, Dr. Moeller said the City would decide on the operations and
staff adjustments needed during the middle of the night. The study assumed that the
same number of resources was not needed during the night shift, as the call volume is
lower than in the day (i.e., fund 1 paramedic instead of 2). Every station that has
paramedic capability will still have paramedic capability. The CARES 2 model did
include all calls that are received through the County. The County does not consider
certain calls when calculating compliance to the 7:30 response time requirement (i.e.,
mutual aid in another district, downgraded calls as they are not considered
emergencies). CARES 2 is a financial plan, not an operational plan. The proposed
model does not fund services that are not needed for EMS. Dr. Moeller said the City of
Clearwater has used funds for allowable costs to fund staff support; this benefit would
be eliminated under the proposed plan as not all municipalities receive that benefit. The
response time in CARES 2 will continue to be the same.
In response to questions, Chief Weiss said the City would have fewer resources to
respond to nighttime house fires if the CARES 2 plan is implemented. The County's
911-web tool for performance metrics is not user friendly and provides conflicting
information. The City ISO rating has improved due to improved water system in the
service delivery zone and increased training. Asst. Fire Chief Joseph Connors said the
first two phases of priority dispatch were implemented, the final phase, where the fire
department would not respond to specific non-emergency calls, was not implemented. It
is standard protocol throughout the county to send multiple personnel to respond to
extraction calls. Chief Weiss said if there is excess capacity in the current system, it is
provided through city-funded units, which provide dual AILS capability in strategic
locations.
It was requested that Dr. Moeller provide information on the property tax valuation.
County Commissioner Karen Seel said the County is looking for ways to further the
cooperation on this issue and work towards a compromise to make the system
sustainable.
The Council recessed from 5:12 p.m. to 5:20 p.m.
4.2 Council Discussion
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Discussion ensued with concerns expressed regarding the impact the proposed
changes will have on response times and service delivery. It was suggested that the
City collaborate with the County and wait for the outcome of Largo's conflict resolution
process.
In response to comments, the City Attorney said the City must respond to Largo's
request this week. If the City does not act on Largo's request, the City will not have a
seat at the table. Should the outcome with Largo provide a disadvantage to the City, the
City may then file for a dispute resolution.
Vice Mayor Doreen Hock - DiPolito moved to take action later on the outcome of the
conflict resolution process involving Largo and others. The motion was duly seconded
and carried unanimously.
4.3 Join the conflict resolution procedures initiated by the City of Largo, as a Primary
Conflicting Governmental Entity, specifying the issues of conflict with Pinellas
County Emergency Medical Services Authority and adopt Resolution 14 -15.
No action taken.
5. Adjourn
The meeting adjourned at 5:36 p.m.
-- ct W,erc ^cV. S
Mayor
City of Clearwater
City Clerk
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