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HomeMy WebLinkAbout19850722_special214 MINUTES OF THE SPECIAL 3IEETING OF THE EDINA CITY COUNCIL HELD AT CITY HALL JULY 22, 1985 4:OO P.M. The Edina City Council held a closed meeting regarding potential litigation on July 22, '1985, at 4:OO p.m. Present were Members Bredesen, Kelly, Richards, Turner, and Mayor Courtney. Also present was Kenneth Rosland, City Manager; Gordon Hughes, Assistant City Manager; Craig Larsen, Planner; Thomas Erickson, City Attorney; Marcella Daehn, City Clerk; Ms. Becky Comstock and Mr. James Van Valkenburg. Mr. Rosland explained that the meeting was called to consider the City's position with regard to the proposed Homart Development project in Bloomington. Member Richards asked to be excused because of a possible conflict of interest I and left the meeting. . .. Mr. Hughes and Mr. Erickson explained that Edina must submit written comments suggested various strategies whereby the City of Bloomington may be willing to compromise and reduce the intensity of the project. discussion, the Council Members informally agreed that the City should respond that. the EIS is inadequate with regard to the Bloomington Comprehensive Plan and the traffic studies for the proposed Homart project. . on the draft Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) by July 23, 1985, and Following considerable The meeting adjourned at 5:lO p.m. with no formal action being taken. *lztroll,%. u City Clerk MINUTES OF THE SPECIAL MEETING OF THE EDINA CITY COUNCIL HELD AT CITY HALL JULY 22, 1985 5:OO P.M. Answering rollcall were Members Bredesen, Kelly, Richards, Turner and Mayor Courtney. FIRE DEPARTMENT ORGANIZATION/PARAMEDIC PROGRAM DISCUSSED; DECISION MADE TO HIRE TWO ADDITIONAL PARAMEDICS. July.15, 1985 the Council had heard presentations regarding the Fire Department organization and the paramedic program made by Robert Buresh, Public Safety Director and Nilliam Feck, Fire Chief. for the paramedic program, also had.addressed the Council and identified the advantages of the City's fire-based paramedic program over EMS services from outside providers and urged that two additional paramedics be added to the program. The Council had informally agreed.to cantinue the matter tio this special. .meeting to have time to assimilate the information presented before taking action. Mr. Rosland reiterated his recommendation that the City hire two additional paramedics to survive the fire-based paramedic program. indicated that there was one additional piece of information regarding Fair- view-Southdale Hospital. They are in the process of changing to a new billing system and when that is functional they will still be willing, even though the City maintains its fire-based paramedics, to do the ambulance billing and collect the monies for EMS services for the City. memorandum has been prepared by Mr. Buresh listing the major issues that support the hiring of two additional paramedics for the Fire Department. support of the recommendation and keeping the City's paramedic program were Bob Solberg, Everett Erickson, doe.Berg, Doug Erickson and an unidentified gentleman. that it is felt a 29.-man department will give the paramedic program stability, and the recommendation is to add two additional paramedics in the next few months. He added that there are several retirements anticipated and the City. would hire paramedics for those replacements, who would also be trained as firefighters. Member Bredesen asked Mr. Rosland if the paramedic program could survive if more of the present firefighters trained to be paramedics without adding the two additional paramedics. there does not seem to be the interest among the firefighters to train as paramedics. in the areas of fire suppression, paramedics and fire prevention and then take Mr. Rosland recalled that at its meeting of Dr. Timothy Crimmins, medical director He . .. I Mr. Rosland noted that a Speaking in In response to a question of Doug Erickson, Mr. Rosland clarif5ed Mr. Rosland said it could but. Member Turner commented that we should establish a service level . 1. 7/22/85 215 TI 0 al ('I a 5 a look at the alternative:.ways we can meet that service level. meeting, Dr. Cridns came closest to analyzing alternatives in terms of .cr&teria, e.g. respon'se time, quality of care, professional attitude, cost to the consumer and cost to the taxpayer in general. information to date, the Edina fire-based.paramedic program comes out the closest to meeting those goals of any of the alternatives mentioned. What is not submitted a definite proposal. Member Turner said that this would be her approach and that at this point she would support the Manager's recommendation. Dr. Crimmins said that the key question is how should the City provide the EMS service. To make that decision the Edina paramedic service must be weighed versus the other alternative services available. If the decision is to provide it as a City fire-based program, then it must be given the support it needs; e.g. staffing, funding and Council and citizen support. Member Kelly stated that the Fire Department organizational plan as presented by the Public Safety Director requires the addition of two paramedics, that she feels strongly that the paramedic service should remain within the community, and made a motion that the City Manager be directed to hire two additional paramedics. was seconded by Member Turner. would be hired inasmuch as it is a non-budgeted item this year. said the intent would be to hire them within the next 3 to 4 months and the cost would have to be made up in the 1986 budget. the program is moving towards being self-supporting. that he felt everyone in the Fire Department should be trained to be paramedics, that if the community wants to have a combination fire/paramedic service than that is what we should have working for the City; also, that if the City hires men as paramedics they should not be able to opt out of the service. He said he felt that fire suppression should be a separate issue in the Fire Department's organization. and that he would like to look at all the options before changing the status quo. He emphasized that no one has ever said that paramedic service will be dis- continued, but that the Council has been looking at how to best deliver the service to the citizens of Edina. He said he felt that the issue has been a confrontation situation at all times and that he did not intend to support adding two people that may or may not be needed; that he would support bring- ing someone who could give an objective analysis of the options so that the Council could determine what is best for the citizens of Edina. After further discussion, Mayor Courtney called the motion. At the last She added that, based on - missing is how Fairview-Southdale Hospital could meet those goals as they have * I Motion Mr. Rosland Member Bredesen asked when the two paramedics Member Kelly commented that Member Bredesen commented Member Richards commented that we do not have all the facts yet Ayes: Kelly, Turner, Courtney Nays: Bredesen, Richards Motion carried. STRATEGIC PLAN/SHORT TERM OBJECTIVES FOR 1986 TO BE DISCUSSED ON 8/12/85. Mr. Rosland advised that staff has been reviewing the Strategic Plan and the key issues identified last year and it was felt that the Council should look at those issues in light of the outside influences on the City which have recently been noted. Discussion followed as to when the Council should meet for strategic planning and it was informally agreed to schedule a Special Meeting for August 12, 1985 at 7:OO p.m. and that public notice should be published and posted. Mayor Courtney then declared the meeting adjourned at 6:22 p.m. %4%,U City Clerk