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HomeMy WebLinkAbout2-9-2022 Board of Fire Commissioners Please contact Board Secretary, Patti Starnes if you cannot attend the meeting or, need special accommodations. 517-483-4564 or email patti.starnes@lansingmi.gov Lansing Fire Department 120 E. Shiawassee, Lansing MI 48933 1 CITY OF LANSING BOARD OF FIRE COMMISSIONERS 120 E. SHIAWASSEE ST., LANSING MI 48933 (517) 483-4200 |LANSINGMI.GOV/FIRE 1. Call to Order – Establish Quorum - 5:35 p.m. 1.1. Present: Barbara Lawrence, Kathleen Tobe, Gina Nelson, Charles Willis, Steve Purchase, Kris Singh 1.2. Absent: None 2. Additions to Agenda: none 3. Approval of Minutes: 3.1. February 2022 – A motion was made by Gina Nelson and moved by Rodney Singleton to approve the minutes as written. Motion carried by unanimous vote. 4. Public Comment – Agenda Items (Time Limit: 3 Minutes): none 5. Review Communications: 5.1. Chief Tobin said that he had received a couple of thank you letters from residents on a job well done to the crews, but he didn’t have them with him to hand out. 6. Comments from Chair Steve Purchase 6.1. Chief search update – has been narrowed down and will be interview shortly. Commissioner’s Singh and Willis have been asked to serve on the interview panel. Due to confidentially, information can’t be released on the search process. 7. Introductions: 7.1. New Commissioner Krishna Singh introduced himself to the Board. Individual introductions took place of those in attendance. 8. Fire Administration Report – Michael Tobin, Chief 8.1. We have officially started contract negotiations with Local 421 IAFF this week. I will update as I can. 8.2. Working through some final budget hiccups. 8.3. Additional issues have popped up concerning some of our facilities. Station #9 on top of the roof needing to be replaced, boilers need to be replaced, there is a heating and air conditioning issue, and the newest issue that has come up is parking lot is not holding up and the most recent is a sewage issue in the building. We have a temporary fix on it but need to come up with a more permanent fix. Permanent fix would be tearing up the back part of the apparatus bay. It’s a 70-year-old building, it’s a very busy station and the preliminary estimate for the sewer fix in the station is about $70,000 and this is just the cost for the temporary fix. To bring Station #9 up to standard would cost $1 to $1.5 million. Station #8 was opened in 1977 and needs work. Station #2 opened in 1955 and needs work to it. All of these are things that Chief Martin brought up before and these are still ongoing issues. 8.4. Hiring process is still open. Applications are low but that is not uncommon right now. Good news is we had a small graduation ceremony for our four qualified. Two will be in the station on Monday; one is completing her Fire training at LCC and the other is Firefighter certified but has not worked for a fire department, so we are keeping him in the academy for another couple of weeks. The other four from the summer hire; all have completed EMT school and have passed the program final exam and are now just waiting for the date to take the National Registry. When they pass that they will be going into the stations. REGULAR MONTHLY MEETING MINUTES WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 9, 2022 | 5:30 PM | LFD STATION #1 COMMUNITY ROOM | 120 E. SHIAWASSEE ST. | LANSING MI Fire Commissioners 1st Ward Barbara Lawrence – Vice-Chair 2nd Ward Vacant 3rd Ward Kathleen Tobe 4th Ward Gina Nelson At-Large Steve Purchase –Chair At-Large Rodney Singleton At-Large Charles Willis At-Large Kris Singh Please contact Board Secretary, Patti Starnes if you cannot attend the meeting or, need special accommodations. 517-483-4564 or email patti.starnes@lansingmi.gov Lansing Fire Department 120 E. Shiawassee, Lansing MI 48933 2 9. Old Business: 9.1 Chairperson Purchase asked how the school program was going? Captain Neal stated that it is going great. Two of the kids that haven’t spoken much in class were actually excited to see some of the recruits doing ladder exercises. The news featured us yesterday about the program. 10. New Business: 10.1. Chairperson Purchase reported that we have one matter to vote on, this is the letter that should go with the annual report. Former Chairperson Lucianna Solis did write it as her tenure as Chair. Included is the complaint summary as well. 10.2. A motion was made by Rodney Singleton and second by Gina Nelson to accept the Annual report letter and complaint addendum for the 2021 Annual report. Motion carried by unanimous vote. 10.3. Chairperson Purchase asked if there was anything specific that the Commissioners would like to discuss over the next three meetings heading into Spring? 10.4. Commissioner Nelson stated that she feels it is very important to work on the building needs. Commissioner Tobe asked if we have ever asked the Firefighters what they need to do their job. Chief Tobin responded we have and are doing a study about it. Chairperson Purchase stated Chief Martin commissioned a study of what it would take to build a new station. There is another study being done looking at all aspects of the department. Chief Tobin stated that there is another outside company doing a study for just Police and Fire Facilities. 11. Request for Commissioners to be Excused: None 12. Commissioner Comments: 12.1. Chairperson Purchase asked if we could invite the Budget Officer to attend a meeting to discuss where are our feelings are with facilities and stuff. 12.2. Commissioner Lawrence stated that we have a vacancy on the board, and we should get out there and talk to people about being on it. 12.3. Commissioner Singh asked how long as a Chief has the battle been going on for Station 9. Chief Tobin said it’s been ongoing since 1999 and within the city has been a budgetary issue for a long time. 12.4. Commissioner Tobe asked City Attorney O’Boyle how many lawsuits are currently filed against the Fire Department. City Attorney O’Boyle stated that two lawsuits are currently filed. 13. Public Comment – On any matter- speakers must state their name and address (Time Limit: 3 minutes): None 14. General Order 14.1. Commissioner Singh said to Chief Tobin to keep fighting the good fight. 15. Adjournment 15.1. Meeting adjourned at 6:47 p.m. Minutes submitted Wednesday, March 9, 2022, by: Michelle Greko Administrative Assistant Lansing Fire Dept - Training Division/Fire Marshal 120 E. Shiawassee St. | Lansing MI 48933 517-483-7659 | E: michelle.greko@lansingmi.gov Minutes Approved on March 9, 2022.