04-15-98 vI
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IIIMINUTES OF THE CITY COMMISSION WORKSHOP HELP IN COMMISSION
CHAMBERS AT 7:15 PM ON WEDNESDAY, APRIL 15, 1998
Present: Suzanne Shaughnessy, Mayor
Mike Borno, City Commissioner
John Meserve, City Commissioner
Theo Mitchelson, City Commissioner
Also: Jim Jarboe, City Manager
David Thompson, Public Safety Director
John Ruley, Fire Chief
Claude Mayo, Fire Marshal
Maureen King, City Clerk
Absent: Richard Beaver (Excused)
The meeting, which was held for the purpose of discussing future plans for the Fire
Department, was called to order by the Mayor. She confirmed that commissioners had
received materials from staff prior to the meeting and indicated that firefighters had been
IIIgiven an opportunity to have input into those materials.
Commissioner Meserve felt the City Commission needed to give staff direction for future
budgeting and also for the upcoming Fire Department contract negotiations. He felt the Fire
Department had a bare-bones staff and firefighters had to work overtime when other
firefighters were sick or on vacation and depended on backup from other departments,
particularly in medical emergencies. He felt the department offered limited opportunities for
advancement and would not ever be able to compete with Jacksonville. He felt the city
should consider adding an additional firefighter for each shift. He also felt it may be
beneficial to have in-house capability for Advance Life-support Systems (ALS) and
emergency medical services. However, he felt that better trained personnel would be more
attractive to large departments such as Jacksonville, and Atlantic Beach would continue to
lose firefighters. He felt it may be possible to get an agreement with Jacksonville wherein
Jacksonville would reimburse Atlantic Beach for a portion of the cost of training of Atlantic
Beach firefighters who were hired by Jacksonville.
Commissioner Meserve also favored a regional fire department but indicated that this would
require cooperation of the other beach cities.
Commissioner Borno agreed Commissioner Meserve's comments regarding the level of
staffing at the Atlantic Beach Fire Department. He indicated he would like to have ALS
0 capability in Atlantic Beach but expressed concern regarding the cost of training. He also
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Minutes of Commission Workshop
April 15, 1998
liked the idea of an agreement with Jacksonville for reimbursement of training costs when
Atlantic Beach firefighters are hired by Jacksonville. He also supported a joint inter-agency
agreement with the beach cities.
Commissioner Mitchelson felt that Atlantic Beach residents liked the fast response time of
Atlantic Beach Fire Department and also liked the relationship with a small fire department
but felt that residents were concerned about the low pay rate in Atlantic Beach. He felt that
Atlantic Beach could not compete with Jacksonville but should try to create a career type
atmosphere and possibly turn around the high rate of turnover.
Mayor Shaughnessy indicated that when she was elected in 1993 the city had a well trained
fire department but when money from the Interlocal Agreement settlement was not used for
fire department salaries, a mass exodus began. She favored a step pay plan because she felt
employees needed to know what their income would be in the future. The Mayor pointed
out that the fire department now had some firefighters with young families and better salaries
and benefits would provide stability for these employees. The Mayor also supported the idea
of ALS capability but would like to have more information regarding the cost and benefits
to Atlantic Beach. The Mayor also pointed out that additional staff had been added at
management level and felt that the city may not be using resources as wisely as possible.
Mayor Shaughnessy also felt that the idea of a regional fire department should be
investigated further and agreed to discuss this with the other beach mayors. She also felt that
there were ongoing morale problems due to low pay and working conditions and felt the
policies regarding training needed to be reviewed.
Commissioner Meserve felt the ALS capability would be beneficial to the community and
should be explored further. He also felt the matter of a regional fire department should be
looked at further ro at least see if it would be feasible. While he believed in paying
employees for services, he indicated he did not believe in step plans.
The Mayor encouraged commissioners to ride a shift with the fire department, which she felt
would help them to better understand the job of a firefighter.
Commissioner Mitchelson suggested having a non-staff, non-commissioner person or
committee to determine the level of interest from other cities regarding a regional fire
department, and to meet with firefighters and make recommendations to the city
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Minutes of Commission Workshop
April 15, 1998
commission. He also indicated that some concerns regarding equipment had been voiced
during his election campaign but he did not know if this situation still existed.
Following a complete discussion of the issue, it was the consensus of the City Commission
that the following areas should receive further consideration:
Salaries and benefits
Advances Life Support capability
Morale
Equipment
Regional Fire Department
Overtime
Reallocation of resources from the top down
Appointment of non-staff, non-commission person(s) to review and make
recommendations regarding the fire department
411 There being no further discussion, the Mayor declared the meeting adjourned at 8:10 PM.
Maureen King
City Clerk