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CITY OF MERIDIAN
SPECIAL JOINT MEETING /WORKSHOP
MERIDIAN CITY COUNCIL
MERIDIAN RURAL FIRE PROTECTION DISTRICT COMMISSIONERS
AGENDA
Tuesday, January 2, 2007, at 5:30 p.m.
City Council Chambers
1.
Roll-call Attendance:
Vacant X Joe Borton
X Charlie Rountree X Keith Bird
X Mayor Tammy de Weerd
X Rich Greene -Chairman
X Terry Leighton O Clair Bowman
2.
3.
Adoption of the Agenda: Approve
Discussion of the Ada County EMS Ordinance: Discussed
4. Executive Session per Idaho Code 67-2345(1)(fl: Ok
Meridian City Council Special Joint Meeting /Workshop Agenda
January 2, 2007 Page 1 of 1
All materials presented at public meetings shall become property of the City of Meridian.
Anyone desiring accommodation for disabilities related to documents and/or hearing,
please contact the City Clerk's Office at 888-4433 at least 48 hours prior to the public meeting.
• •
/,7 CITY OF ~~~
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CITY OF MERIDIAN
SPECIAL JOINT MEETING /WORKSHOP
MERIDIAN CITY COUNCIL
MERIDIAN RURAL FIRE PROTECTION DISTRICT COMMISSIONERS
AGENDA
Tuesday, January 2, 2007, at 5:30 p.m.
City Council Chambers
1.
Roll-call Attendance:
Vacant -L~ Joe Borton
_~ Charlie Rountree Keith Bird
~_ Mayor Tammy de Weerd
~_ Rich Greene -Chairman
-~ Terry Leighton ~ Clair Bowman
2.
3.
Adoption of the Agenda: ~~,1'm v'~
Discussion of the Ada County EMS Ordinance: G~/~~f~~
4. Executive Session per Idaho Code 67-2345(1)(f): ~
Meridian City Council Special Joint Meeting /Workshop Agenda
January 2, 2007 Page 1 of 1
All materials presented at public meetings shall become property of the City of Meridian.
Anyone desiring accommodation for disabilities related to documents and/or hearing,
please contact the City Clerk's Office at 888-4433 at least 48 hours prior to the public meeting.
• •
December 29, 2006
MERIDIAN CITY COUNCIL MEETING
APPLICANT
REQUEST Discussion of the Ada County EMS Ordinance
AGENCY COMMENTS
CITY CLERK:
CITY ENGINEER:
CITY PLANNING DIRECTOR:
CITY ATTORNEY
CITY POLICE DEPT:
CITY FIRE DEPT:
CITY BUILDING DEPT:
CITY WATER DEPT:
CITY SEWER DEPT:
CITY PARKS DEPT:
MERIDIAN SCHOOL DISTRICT:
ADA COUNTY HIGHWAY DISTRICT:
SANITARY SERVICE COMPANY
CENTRAL DISTRICT HEALTH:
NAMPA MERIDIAN IRRIGATION:
SETTLERS IRRIGATION:
IDAHO POWER:
US WEST:
INTERMOUNTAIN GAS:
MERIDIAN POST OFFICE:
OTHER:
Contacted: Date: Phone:
Emailed: Staff Initials:
Materials pres®nted at public meefln~s shall become property of fhe City of Meridian.
January 2, 2007
ITEM NO. 3
Broadcast Report
Date/Time 12-29-2006 05:08:59 p.m. Transmit Header Text City of Meridian Idaho
Local ID 1 2088884218 Local Name 1 Line 1
Local ID 2 Local Name 2 Line 2
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Charles M. Ram+hec
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71X9 Main Stnt~et
$9$-$506 (City Attumey)
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540 & Franklin Road
886.1239 / Eex 895-0390
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1401 @. Watertower iatle
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660'E. Wittartowtr Lana
Svite 200
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Strife Y50
887.2811 / fax 887-1297
Wae~wster
340] N. "ran Yule ltnad
888.2191 J fax $89.0744
- 1Netez
2235 N. W 8th Sheet
888-5242. / fax 884-1159
NOTICE OF SPECIAL JOINT YEE'I9NG !WORKSHOP
MERIDIAN CITY COUNCIL
MERIDIAN RURAL. FIRE PROTC-CTION DISTRICT COMMISSIONERS
NOTICE i8 HEREBY GIVEN that the City Coui~il of ttte City of
Meridian and the Meridian Rural Fire Protection District Commissioners
will Hold a Special Joint Meeting / Works lop at AAerldlan City Hall, 33 East
Idaho Avlsrlue, Meridian, Idaho, on Tuesday. Jarx~ly 2, 2007 at 5:30 P.M.
They wIU meat in regards tsa the following item(s):
Disscuesion of the Ada Courtly EM3 Ordirmnce
Exesxrtivs Session per ideho Code 87-2345(1 uf}
The Exewtive Session is dosed to the public, however, the p~lic
is vwslcxsne to attend lha rerrlainder of the meeting.
DATED this 29th day 13f Dec®rnber, 2006.
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Anyone da6lnp em~turwdsNons tar dleeb8ffes related to dooutnpAa and 1 or tlarirlglp
place oaRadthe Ada Coutdy t;ammlasMna's Oftka at 287-7000 at least 48 hooro prior to the
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No. Job Remote Station Start Time Duration Pa es Line Mode Job Type Results
001 477 3810160 04:39:04 p.m. 12-29-2006 00:00:00 0/4 1 G3 HS FA
002 477 8989551 04:39:04 p.m. 12-29-2006 00:01:08 4/4 1 EC HS CP19200
003 477 8848723 04:39:04 p.m. 12-29-2006 00:01:38 4/4 1 EC HS CP14400
004 477 8886854 04:39:04 p.m. 12-29-2006 00:00:49 4/4 1 EC HS CP31200
005 477 8985501 04:39:04 p.m. 12-29-2006 00:01:37 4/4 1 EC HS CP14400
006 477 8467366 04:39:04 p.m. 12-29-2006 00:00:55 4/4 1 EC HS CP28800
007 477 8950390 04:39:04 p.m. 12-29-2006 00:00:50 4/4 1 EC HS CP33600
Broadcast Report
DatelTime 12-29-2006
LocaIID 1 2088884218
LocaI1D 2
05:09:07 p.m. Transmit Header Text City of Meridian Idaho
Local Name 1 Line 1
Local Name 2 Line 2
No. Job Remote Station Start Time Duration Pages Line Mode Job Type Results
008 477 208 888 2682 04:39:04 p.m. 12-29-2006 00:00:49 414 1 EC HS CP33600
009 477 8840745 04:39:04 p.m. 12-29-2006 00:00:54 4!4 1 EG HS CP28800
010 477 2088885052 04:39:04 p.m. 12-29-2006 00:00:51 4/4 1 EC HS CP31200
011 477 8881983 04:39:04 p.m. 12-29-2006 00:00:52 4/4 1 EC HS CP28800
012 477 2083776449 04:39:04 p.m. 12-29-2006 00:01:38 4/4 1 EC HS CP14400
013 477 4679562 04:39:04 p.m. 12-29-2006 00:00:55 4!4 1 EC HS CP26400
014 477 2088886701 04:39:04 p.m. 12-29-2006 00:00:48 4!4 1 EC HS CP31200
015 477 8841159 04:39:04 p.m. 12-29-2006 00:00:51 4!4 1 EC HS CP31200
016 477 2088840744 04:39:04 p.m. 12-29-2006 00:01:01 414 1 EC HS CP24000
Abbreviations:
HS: Host send PL: Polled local MP: Mailbox print TU: Terminated by user
HR: Host receive PR: Polled remote CP: Completed TS: Terminated by system G3: Group 3
WS: Waiting send MS: Mailbox save FA: Fail RP; Report EC: Error Correct
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SINCE
1903
MAYOR
Tammy de Weerd
CITY COUNCIL MEMBERS
Keith Bird
Joseph W. Borton
Charles M. Rountree
Shaun. Wardle
CITY DEPARTMENTS
City Attorney/HR
703 Main Street
898-5506 (City Attorney)
898-5503 (I-~)
Fax 884-8723
Fire
540 E. Franklin Road
888-1234/fax 895-0390
Parks & Recreation
11 W. Bower Street
888-3579/fax 898-5501
Planning
660 E. Watertower Lane
Suite 202
884-5533/fax 888-6854
Police
1401 E. Watertower Lane
888-6678/fax 846-7366
Public Works
660 E. Watertower Lane
Suite 200
898-5500/fax 898-9551
- Building
660 E. Watertower Lane
Suite 150
887-2211 /fax 887-1297
- Wastewater
3401 N. Ten Mile Road
888-2191/fax 884-0744
- Water
2235 N.W. 8th Street
888-5242/fax 884-1159
•
NOTICE OF SPECIAL JOINT MEETING /WORKSHOP
MERIDIAN CITY COUNCIL
MERIDIAN RURAL FIRE PROTECTION DISTRICT COMMISSIONERS
NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN that the City Council of the City of
Meridian and the Meridian Rural Fire Protection District Commissioners
will hold a Special Joint Meeting /Workshop at Meridian City Hall, 33 East
Idaho Avenue, Meridian, Idaho, on Tuesday, January 2, 2007 at 5:30 P.M.
They will meet in regards to the following item(s):
Discussion of the Ada County EMS Ordinance
Executive Session per Idaho Code 67-2345(1)(f)
The Executive Session is Gosed to the public, however, the public
is welcome to attend the remainder of the meeting.
DATED this 29th day of December, 2006.
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LIAM G. BERG, ~fR. - C
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Meridian City Council / Ada County Commissioner Special Joint Meeting -January 2, 2007
All materials presented at public meeting shall become property of the City of Meridian.
Anyone desiring accommodations for disabilities related to documents and / or hearings,
please contact the Ada County Commissioner's Office at 287-7000 at least 48 hours prior to the
public meeting.
CITY HALL 33 EAST IDAHO AVENUE MERIDIAN, IDAHO 83642 (208) 888-4433
CITY CLERK -FAX 888-4218 FINANCE & UTILITY BILLING -FAX 887-4873 MAYOR'S OFFICE -FAX 884-8119
Printed on recycled paper
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IDAHO ~~
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SINCE
1903
MAYOR
Tammy de Weerd
CITY COUNCIL MEMBERS
Keith Bird
Joseph W. Borton
Charles M. Rountree
Shaun Wardle
CITY DEPARTMENTS
City Attorney/HR
703 Main Street
898-5506 (City Attorney)
898-5503 (HR)
Fax 884-8723
Fire
540 E. Franklin Road
888-1234/fax 895-0390
Parks & Recreation
11 W. Bower Street
888-3579/fax 898-5501
Planning
660 E. Watertower Lane
Suite 202
884-5533/fax 888-6854
Police
1401 E. Watertower Lane
888-6678 /fax 846-7366
Public Works
660 E. Watertower Lane
Suite 200
898-5500/fax 898-9551
- Building
660 E. Watertower Lane
Suite 150
887-2211 /fax 887-1297
- Wastewater
3401 N. Ten Mile Road
888-2191/fax 884-0744
- Water
2235 N.W. 8th Street
888-5242/fax 884-1159
NOTICE OF SPECIAL JOINT MEETING /WORKSHOP
MERIDIAN CITY COUNCIL
8c
MERIDIAN RURAL FIRE PROTECTION DISTRICT COMMISSIONERS
least aas+ ~cr Pu~c.~wlc~=m~n~s~
NOTICE tS HEREBY GIVEN that the Gity Council of the City of
Meridian and the Meridian Rural Fire Protection District Commissioners
will hold a Special Joint Meeting /Workshop at Meridian City Hall, 33 East
Idaho Avenue, Meridian, Idaho, on Tuesday, January 2, 2007 at 5:30 P.M.
They will meet in regards to the following item(s):
Discussion of the Ada County EMS Ordinance
Executive Session per Idaho Code 67-2345(1)(f)
The Executive Session is closed to the public, however, the public
is welcome to attend the remainder of the meeting.
DATED this 29th day of December, 2006.
1`,11111 II PII///<
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LIAM G. BERG, ~fR. - C '
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Meridian City Council / Ada County Commissioner Special Joint Meeting -January 2, 2007
All materials presented at public meeting shall become property of the City of Meridian.
Anyone desiring accommodations for disabilities related to documents and / or hearings,
please contact the Ada County Commissioner's Office at 287-7000 at least 48 hours prior to the
public meeting.
CITY FALL 33 EAST IDAHO AVENUE MERIDIAN, IDAHO 83642 (208) 888-4433
CITY CLERK -FAX 888-42]8 FINANCE & UT'ILIT'Y BILLING -FAX 887-4813 MAYOR'S OFFICE -FAX 884-8119
Printed on retycled paper
•
February 2, 2007
MERIDIAN CITY COUNCIL MEETING February 6, 2007
APPLICANT ITEM NO. 5-D
REQUEST Approve Minutes of January 2, 2007 City Council Joint Meeting
AGENCY
CITY CLERK:
CITY ENGINEER:
CITY PLANNING DIRECTOR:
CITY ATTORNEY
CITY POLICE DEPT:
CITY FIRE DEPT:
CITY BUILDING DEPT:
CITY WATER DEPT:
CITY SEWER DEPT:
CITY PARKS DEPT:
MERIDIAN SCHOOL DISTRICT:
ADA COUNTY HIGHWAY DISTRICT:
SANITARY SERVICE COMPANY
CENTRAL DISTRICT HEALTH:
NAMPA MERIDIAN IRRIGATION:
SETTLERS IRRIGATION:
IDAHO POWER:
US WEST:
INTERMOUNTAIN GAS:
MERIDIAN POST OFFICE:
OTHER:
Contacted: Date: Phone:
Emailed: Staff Initials:
Materials presented at public meetings shall become property of the City of Meridian.
COMMENTS
• •
Meridian City Council Joint Meeting January 2, 2007
The Meridian City Council Joint Meeting with Meridian Rural Fire Protection
District was called to order at 5:30 P.M. on Tuesday, January 2, 2007 by
Councilman Vice-President Joe Borton.
Members Present: Mayor Tammy de Weerd, Keith Bird, Charlie Rountree and
Joe Borton.
Rural Fire District Commissioners: Terry Leighton and Rich Greene.
Staff Present: Bill Nary, Ron Anderson, Joe Silva, John Overton, Todd (last
name?), Mark Niemeyer and Will Berg.
Item 1. Roll-call Attendance:
Roll call.
O Vacant
X Charlie Rountree
X
X Joe Borton
X Keith Bird
Mayor Tammy de Weerd
Item 2. Adoption of the Agenda:
Bird: Mr. Vice-President.
Borton: Mr. Bird.
Bird: I move we adopt the agenda as published.
Rountree: Second.
Borton: It has been moved and seconded to adopt the agenda as published. All
in favor say aye.
THREE AYES. ONE VACANT. MOTION CARRIED.
Item 3. Discussion of the Ada County EMS Ordinance:
Borton: As everyone knows the January 1St Ada County passed and now put into
effect the new ordinance governing the method and manner of which EMS
services are provided throughout the county, which has had a great impact and
will have a great impact on the City of Meridian and other cities and their EMS
services. To start off the discussion seemed to make sense perhaps that Chief
Anderson gives the Council and Commissioners a brief background of what has
taken place and then we will go into a discussion on what the options are. Chief?
Meridian City Council7oint Meeting •
January 2, 2007
Page 2 of 8
Anderson: Mr. Vice-President to just give you a brief summary of what has
happened. Approximately one year ago, Meridian made an improvement to our
EMS delivery system and we upgraded our service from basic life support EMT's
to the advanced life support, the ALS and we put paramedics on our engine
companies. For approximately a year prior to that, we had been working on
making that improvement and there is a number of steps that you have to go
through to get there, including finding a medical director, a physician who is
willing to allow you to work underneath their license and that will oversee your
program and provide education and review of what your paramedics doing in the
field as well as applying to the state for a license, hiring certified paramedics and
buying equipment and supplies necessary to deliver that level of service. All
through that process in that prior year we had worked along with Ada County
EMS and Ada County operates a transport ambulance service along with ALS
service in the county, but quite often because they are not as many ambulances
as there are fire stations throughout the Valley that ALS response is a little bit
slower than what the fire service response is and so part of the reason why
Meridian wanted to make that improvement is so that we could provide a better
level of service to our citizens and provide advanced life support within a four or
five minute timeframe as opposed to an eight or nine minute timeframe. So, we
had been working with Ada County in setting up that system and getting it
operating and we had been operating for about a year and things seemed to be
going to pretty smooth. As you will also recall at the same time Ada County had
some money woes and was struggling with keeping afloat with their ALS program
and the number of units that they had on the road and they had gone to the
taxpayers and asked for an increase in their mill levy a little over a year ago and
that was defeated and was not successful and we hadn't heard anything else
from them, but I along with several fire chiefs in Ada County had worked in a
committee to help make recommendations about how we could improve EMS
delivery in Ada County and there were a number of components to that
committee's recommendation that we passed along to the Ada County
Commissioners. We had not heard anything in approximately eight months since
we submitted that report to the Ada County Commissioners and we had asked
them on several occasions what the outcome of that was going to be and
whether they were going to look at those recommendations and whether they
wanted us to do anymore work. The next thing we knew at the end of November,
I think it was November 27th, I learned that Ada County had a new EMS
ordinance that they were proposing. When I read the ordinance, I was
astounded to find out some of the authority that they were taking away from cities
and the authority that they were giving themselves. We immediately requested a
meeting with the Ada County EMS director to explain the ordinance to us. He did
meet with us, explain the ordinance and when we brought up our concerns and
issues with the ordinance he said well I understand your concerns, but we feel
like this is necessary and we have the authority to do it and continued to press
forward. They had a very short timeframe before this ordinance went to a public
hearing. It actually had its first hearing on, I believe it was December 12th and we
showed up at that hearing, we testified to the County about all the problems with
Meridian City Council7oint Meeting •
January 2, 2007
Page 3 of 8
the ordinance, legally I guess also in the spirit of cooperation which the ordinance
was has tones in it that it is supposed to improve cooperation and collaboration it
actually does just the opposite of that. Those concerns were listened to at that
meeting and then they called a meeting for the following week on the 19t". On
the 19t there was no discussion, no more public hearing and they passed the
ordinance with it going into effect on January 1 S'. Last week the Mayor and our
City Attorney and myself again met with the director of Ada County EMS and
their attorney and one of the Commissioners to find out what the reasons why
they felt that it was necessary to pass the ordinance and if there was any
possibility that ordinance could be rescinded or amended or anything like that.
That is what we would like to talk tonight, I guess, in Executive Session
regarding.
Borton: Thank you, Chief. I will give you a chance to introduce. I think you have
a relatively new Deputy Chief to introduce.
Anderson: I have a really new Deputy Chief I would love to introduce. Sitting
next to me tonight is Mark Niemeyer. This is his first day on the job and Mark
applied - we started recruiting back in October and Mark applied along with
about 20 other candidates and he is joining us here tonight and it is interesting
enough that Mark is a former employee of Ada County EMS, so he has a lot of
intimate knowledge about Ada County EMS and they way things operate there.
De Weerd: Well, welcome Mark.
Niemeyer: Thank you, Mayor.
Rountree: And we expect you to be able to resolve this issue now.
Bird: Charlie -poor guy. This is his first day on the job. He might not come
back for the second day.
Borton: Welcome Mark, we are glad to have you here. I turn it to Commissioner
Greene or Leighton if either of you have some comments or thoughts from Rural
Fire Commission on the ordinance and its impact on your services.
Greene: My name is Rich Greene. I am the Chairman of the Rural Fire
Protection District. I think the major concern that we have as a District and
because of our joint power's agreement; the District has spent a lot of taxpayers'
dollars building fire stations in cooperation with the city that has been gracious
enough to man those stations. The major thrust of that and those decisions and
that construction is that we wanted to improve the level of service for everybody
within the city and out in the District. We just feel and the whole intent of putting
paramedics on the vehicles were to get down to the four to five minute response
time. There is no way at the current level of Ada County for them to do that.
Once you are outside of that four to five minute response time, especially in the
Meridian City Council7oint Meeting •
January 2, 2007
Page 4 of 8
heart attacks and especially in strokes, you diminish the ability or the likelihood
that the individual will recover and if he does there is liable to be lasting affects.
So, I feel we have spent a lot of time and effort to improve the service and Ada
County for whatever reason has decided to undermine that. I don't really know
where they are coming from and I wasn't privy to the meeting the other day, so I
don't know what their reasoning, but I just don't feel that what they are doing is
enhancing a service. I am also concerned that the city can probably just ignore if
they choose to or pass an ordinance, but since they do have control of EMS and
the districts, I would hate to see them start dictating what you can do in a district
and then lower the standards so that we have two levels of service. One level in
the city and another one in the district just doesn't seem to be appropriate or in
my opinion it just lacks any credibility. I mean we are here to serve our
constituents who pay the taxes and anything that is done to diminish that I don't
understand. It just doesn't seem to be appropriate and it doesn't seem to be very
mature from my perspective. So, that is about all I have got to say. Do you have
anything Terry?
De Weerd: Mr. Vice-President.
Borton: Madame Mayor.
De Weerd: Just to give an overview, last week we did go and meet with the
county as Ron has indicated and we went on behalf of Council and the concerns
that were raised at our last meeting, with the comments that the Clerk's Office
provided, the minutes that we also provided to the Commissioner. We went with
the purpose of understanding what problem this ordinance was to address and
what specifically was broken. We also had a chance to get some clarification on
a couple of the key points I think that Council had a concern over in who is in
charge in the field? You know, what the intent of that was and a couple of other
items and I think that both the Chief and Mr. Nary had written those down. I
didn't bring my notes tonight with me, but what I did suggest at the end is that we
write the -that the Chief write a letter outlining each of those concerns and that
we get their written response because their response really did address some of
the key elements of it. But, I want those in writing. Also, the Chief brought up
the medical director and the decision-making aspect of that and Commissioner
Yzaguirre seemed very open to looking at that format and looking at a new
proposed structure that he wanted the Chief to make a proposal on and that he
would then discuss that with the director of EMS as well as his attorneys and
fellow Commissioners and at this point we will have a new Commissioner that
had also indicated that he was very interested in finding some middle ground on
this. So, I think we walked away from that meeting and for the Commissioners'
benefit as well feeling that there was some good clarification provided. I don't
know if we are all the way there yet and certainly our attorney has some -has
worked with the Chief on some avenues that can be explored. Our ultimate goal
again is the direction of both the Rural District and the Council is service to our
citizens. Last year when we added Station No. 4, we made the commitment
Meridian City Council7oint Meeting •
January 2, 2007
Page 5 of 8
when we hired those personnel to put paramedics, the ALS onto our fire engines
and that was an ideal time. It didn't cost our taxpayers additional money. These
are personnel that we needed to put on anyway and it has tremendously
improved the service to our community at low -cost and that is what the key
underlying point is when we went to that meeting is they stress the service to
their constituents. Well, their constituents are ours and the Rural Districts and
that is the underlying and the motivating aspect that we went to talk to them to
get clarity. So, we have a partnership with them and they said they did not have
any issue with Meridian. They said their concern was primarily in the service for
ambulance and each of those we don't have any issue with them on. So, we are
committed to working together to try and find that compromise or medium
ground. I think first we just need to write that letter and really get in writing what
their response is to know where we are at on some of the key elements that they
said were misinterpreted. Is that an appropriate summary, Chief?
Anderson: I think that is a very good summary, Mayor. There are a couple of
issues that are still pretty critical. The one issue that they did clarify for us in the
ordinance is a couple of places where it talks about to perform standby services
that you have to have a license from Ada County and when you read the
ordinance, it talks about that in two different sections. The director of Ada
County EMS said that it is not his intent to make us get our personnel licensed or
to get a license from them, however, as Bill Nary read that that could be
interpreted two different ways because it is spelled out two different places in the
contract. So, they did agree to clarify that. As far as some of the key sticking
points -the key sticking points really are this medical directorate that they are
requesting or not requesting, demanding that our medical director belong to and
that their medical director would have ultimate final authority over and that
medical directorate will have a major impact on such things as hiring, who we
can hire, what the testing standards will be, what kind of continuing education
those folks would be required to take and what standards they will be held to.
There are a number of underlying tones in the ordinance that pretty much says
that Ada County still has sole authority over all medical issues. So, there are still
a number of key issues in the ordinance that while there was a glimmer of hope
that Commissioner Yzaguirre indicated they would be willing to listen to; their
EMS director and their attorney seemed intent and set on those things are
necessary and we have to have them. I guess that would be my summary of
kind of how that meeting went.
Borton: In your discussions did you get any remarks from them about if the goal
was always to make sure to provide the greatest service possible to the citizens?
With regards to the medical director do they have stories or situations where they
have run into problems of inconsistent hiring or training or staffing amongst
county verses city that this is supposed to alleviate?
Anderson: Mr. Vice-President as the Mayor indicated they made it quite clear
that they don't have any issues with Meridian. They think that Meridian has a
Meridian City Council'J'oint Meeting
January 2, 2007
Page 6 of 8
high level of standard that the folks that we have hired are good paramedics.
They mainly alluded to issues in other parts of the county.
De Weerd: Or nation wide -sorry Mr. Vice-President.
(Speaker unknown): Ron when you say Meridian did they intend to mean just
the city or did they mean the city and the Rural Fire District, our whole service or
do you know?
Anderson: I couldn't honestly answer that.
(Speaker unknown): Because that gets to questions that we have had and
questions that Rich brings up about where are we with our joint powers and do
we have second class citizens in the rural verses the city, which is not right?
Nary: Mr. Vice-President I didn't get the impression from them that they draw
any distinction. Now, they may at some other level, but at this meeting and
maybe Chief Anderson might have had a different perspective, but I didn't get a
sense from either Director Hagen or Commissioner Yzaguirre that they draw a
distinction between the city and the rural district as two entities that are one
entity. I think that when they were talking about Meridian, I think that they met
the department that is managed by Chief Anderson and I don't think that they
draw that distinction. I think that the parts of the discussion that were a little hard
to follow was that as Chief Anderson pointed out a number of these
discrepancies and some of it is really interpretive and their attorney did agree
that it was interpretive -that they don't read it the same way that we do or maybe
the 100 people that came and testified against it do. I think we might have
pointed that out, but for example the circumstances about being in charge of
mass gatherings and the medical oversight. That is all they said they intended to
be in charge of was the medical needs of individuals either at a critical incident or
mass gatherings and not necessarily wanting to be in charge of the incident itself,
but yet the ordinance isn't very clear. They issue on standby like the Chief
pointed out. In one section it said it is unlawful to provide standby service without
a license. In a different section of the code it says that you don't need a license
to provide standby service within your district. But, yet there is no reference in
the section that makes it unlawful. So, it is some drafting issues, which of course
happen when you rush things through and don't get opportunity to get them
discussed and all that. They were at least willing to listen to those types of
changes. I think the issue of applicability within the city verses the district wasn't
really discussed because it is much more of a legal issue than it is that. I don't
think Commissioner Yzaguirre or Director Hagen really wanted to talk about that
particular issue on the applicability. They still believe that they have the
authority, but they didn't as the Mayor said they didn't raise any examples. In
fact, they said it was more in anticipation of potential future issues of consistency
of service, but they didn't have any specific examples of service issues today
with Meridian or anybody. They just said it was -you know as Chief Anderson
Meridian City Council'Toint Meeting
January 2, 2007
Page 7 of 8
pointed out that all of the districts and all of the Fire Chiefs agree that consistent
medical care across the city and county makes sense and they all supported
that, but they all believe that that occurs today and that through the way the
system is currently operating, the way the medical directors of the different
agencies work together that all of that is happening and yet, there was some
compelling need to make this change and this ordinance and create this medical
director in a different format than what currently exists today, even though what
exists today works. They didn't really have much to that other than their attorney
commented that they have spent a lot of time in drafting and tried to put together
an ordinance without getting much resolved and this was the way to get people
to the table to talk about it. I have prettied that comment up.
Borton: Council, any questions?
De Weerd: Good job, Bill.
Bird: Mr. Vice-President.
Borton: Mr. Bird.
Bird: Hearing no more discussion, I move that we go into Executive Session as
per Idaho State Code 67-2345(1)(f).
Rountree: Second.
Borton: It has been moved and seconded to go into Executive Session.
Roll Call Vote: Bird, aye; Rountree, aye; Gorton, aye;
THREE AYES. ONE VACANT. MOTION CARRIED.
De Weerd: Rich, you will need to make a motion to go into Executive Session
and then (inaudible--).
Greene: I make a motion that the Meridian Rural Fire Protection District go into
Executive Session based on the number that Keith wrote.
Nary: 2345(1)(f).
Leighton: Second.
Greene: It has been moved and seconded to go into Executive Session.
Hearing no further discussion I will call for a roll vote.
Roll Call Vote: Greene, aye; Leighton, aye;
Meridian City Councl7oint Meeting
January 2, 2007
Page 8 of 8
ALL AYES. MOTION CARRIED.
Item 4. Executive Session per Idaho Code 67-2345(1)0:
EXECUTIVE SESSION:
Bird: I move we come out of Executive Session.
Borton: Second.
Borton: It has been moved and seconded to come out of Executive Session. All
in favor say aye.
THREE AYES. ONE VACANT. MOTION CARRIED.
MEETING ADJOURNED AT 7:02 P.M.
(TAPE ON FILE OF THESE PROCEEDINGS)
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WILLIAM G. BERG,
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