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2012.01.12 Work Session Packet (Joint Meeting with New Hope)"r cm,of ICRYSTAL JOINT CITY COUNCIL WORK SESSION (Crystal and New Hope City Councils) AGENDA SUMMARY JANUARY 12, 2012 7:00 P.M. Crystal Community Center 4800 Douglas Drive Activity Room Open for public observation 1. Call to order 2. Attendance (list of attendees at bottom of agenda) 3. Prioritize lists of issues developed by both city councils Attachments: Appendix from Ethical Leaders in Action, Crystal and New Hope lists 4. Begin discussion of issues 5. Set next meeting date 6. Adj ournment Participants: CRYSTAL COUNCIL: Mayor ReNae Bowman, Councilmember Dave Anderson, Councilmember Julie Deshler, Councilmember Joe Selton, Councilmember Mark Hoffmann, Councilmember John Budziszewski, and Councilmember Janet Moore NEW HOPE COUNCIL: Mayor Kathi Hemken, Councilmember John Elder, Councilmember Eric Lammle, Councilmember Dan Stauner, and Councilmember Andy Hoffe CITY STAFF: New Hope City Manager Kirk McDonald and Crystal City Manager Anne Norris OTHER Chad Weinstein, Ethical Leaders in Action 91 ETHICAL LEADERS INACTION West Metro Fire -Rescue District Joint City Council Work Session Appendix to Meeting Agenda January 12, 2012 Introduction and Purpose This document is submitted to the Crystal and New Hope City Councils and city managers as an appendix to the meeting agenda, to help participants to prepare and to provide additional context for our upcoming meeting. Background On January 12, a joint meeting of these city councils will convene to begin addressing the issues presented by both councils. This will be the first of a series of meetings. While we will be very respectful of every participant's precious time, we must also spend some time together, at this point in the process, to make sure that we have a clear and common understanding of the issues before us, and to gain a solid consensus on: The process we will use to address these issues. • The appropriate order of those issues. • The conditions under which we will consider an issue to be resolved. Thus, time will be spent on that foundational work in this meeting, before we begin to work on the first set of issues. Objectives and Participation Expectations Our objectives for this meeting are to: • Maintain the constructive working relationship among the participants affirmed in our November 30 working session. • Clarify and prioritize the issues presented by both councils. • Determine and agree upon the way forward for addressing these issues. • Begin addressing the first set of issues. • Establish a near -term schedule and next steps to keep this process moving forward. Participants in this meeting will include only members of each city council, city managers, and the facilitator. In future sessions, we expect to invite testimony and/or participation from other selected individuals in order to address specific issues. This process is predicated on each council's affirmation — expressed in concurrent resolutions — of the shared intent to maintain the Fire District, and commitment to address each council's stated issues. This process requires of all participants: • Recognition that all participants take seriously their roles as representatives and leaders of their respective constituents. Our common goal is to do what is best for the public. • Commitment to listen, and to respectfully engage with all individuals at the table, even in light of the disparate perspectives that will be presented. • Commitment to refrain from making any statements that are not appropriate for this open working session. Finally, participants will work with the facilitator to remain on task and focused on the stated objectives of each specific discussion. Non -participants will be asked not to interfere with the discussions in any way. R0. Box 14714 Minneapolis, MN 55414 www.ethinact.com Barriers to be Overcome to Maintain West Metro — City of Crystal Lack of confidence in West Metro senior leadership Expectations of effective senior leadership: o Budgeting skills o Communication skills o Transparency o Open to feedback o Accountable o "clean" audit reports o Trustworthy o Confidence in information provided o Functions as a department of both cities EMS Calls/Protocols: - Definition of rescue - What is current protocol for WMFD to respond to EMS calls? - Meet with police chiefs and North to understand their capacity and needs - How many EMS calls are cancelled? Budget/Financing - Balance between public funds and public safety services - Cost management — need to somehow limit how many firefighters get paid per call - Pension o Requirements to receive full pension (is there a sliding scale?) o What are the minimum standards to be eligible for pension? Number or percentage of calls? - Fund balance: o Determine when surpluses go back to cities o Revise fund balance policy - Capital projects: o Need regular reports on status of capital purchases o Better understanding of why staff vehicles cost so much (seems high compared to the cost of police squads and other police staff vehicles) - Capital Fund o Need a plan for undesignated funds in Capital Fund; if no plan, money should go back to cities - Need a plan for how funds from Relief Association are to be used Reporting Calls - Need to differentiate between calls — cancelled calls, burned toast vs. structure fire calls, etc. Communications - Chief should attend both city councils budget work sessions when WMFD is discussed Joint Powers Agreement — relationship between two city councils and WMFD? City of New Hope List of issues to be discussed in an effort to resolve the matter of the West Metro Fire -Rescue District (per Resolution No. 2011-186) Joint Powers Agreement • Whether the city of Crystal is a viable partner in the joint powers agreement (willingness to fund the district at the financial level necessary to support it) • What extent is Crystal willing to share control (department is a shared service between cities) • Public safety (police and fire is a top priority for New Hope; whether the fire district is a top priority for Crystal). • Governance - affirmation that the fire district is governed by the fire board. Must have balance even though the council has veto power on budget. • Whether Crystal is willing to compromise; public safety is critical to New Hope; cannot remain partners with Crystal if not paramount to them. Budgeting • Recognition that cities may allocate resources and address budget reductions in a different manner: "across the board" equal percentage reductions for all departments vs. all departments not being treated in a similar fashion (higher priority services such as public safety may not be reduced equally to other departments). • Pension fund contributions need to be better explained/clarified. • Staffing model - paid on call vs duty crew. • Recognition that some recommendations of budget compromise committee have not yet been implemented (such as full Board reviewing budget at work session and capital funds being identified for specific capital purchases). Organization/Leadership • Confidence in District staff - professional fire fighting skills are strong, but training to address leadership issues may be beneficial for upper management. • Clarify the role of the District: fire only or fire and rescue (LUCAS device) • Chain of command should be followed; fire fighter complaints should not go to a council member; how to deal with grievances. • Structure of the board; define the board president's role. • Majority opinion of the Board is reasonable (show unified front; support decision of the whole).