The second regular meeting of July for the Brattleboro Selectboard was focused on properties. How much should we fine owners of vacant properties, can we ask the pesky, service-sucking non-profits in town to cough up some cold hard cash every quarter, and how much should we raise water and sewer rates?
The former Home Depot building eyesore, however, is exempt and not vacant according to the way the Town wrote the ordinance. And some questioned why the Town RTM would give money, then ask for it back.
And, there was more discussion of Henry George at a public meeting than there has been in perhaps over a century. : )
Preliminaries
They get started late. Usually the zoom meeting starts and we wait, but nothing has come up yet and it is a couple minutes past start time. ASL folks used alert BCTV to dead air. Now… the closed captions must do it. : )
They were discussing contracts in executive session, so I just assume they are late. Or they have been taken by aliens. It’s been five minutes since starting time, and no sign of anything.
Ahhh 6:20pm we start. No aliens. : )
Chair Elizabeth McLoughlin – I’m in endeavoring to make sure the meeting is conducted properly and want to redouble my efforts to have a 3 minute time limit. You can help by understanding it. The Brattleboro Police will have a community connection night August 6th at Harmony Lot. Free food, ice cream, a bounce house, dunk tank, touch a truck, mini petting zoo and much more. Second, the VT covered bridge society will have a special event Aug 7th at Creamery Bridge with a film on continuous loop. Free ice cream will be provided.
Town Manager John Potter – On July 10th when the day camp wrapped up, a camper fell in the pool with a backpack on but due to the quick response, staff got the child out of the pool. The Fire Dept got a thank you from Keene for loaning a truck. EMS instructor Fritz got a commendation. Lots of public works and state roads projects going on around town – this week will be RT 9 and Canal Street. Motorcycles use caution! We will have much better paved roads through much of the town when done. There are parking impacts while the project goes on. Parking Enforcement office will be at the Municipal Center while work at the transportation center goes on this summer. Town will mail ballots to downtown improvement district to vote on whether to continue the special assessment district – it is an advisory vote.
Amanda Ellis-Thurber – it smells like things are getting done when roads are getting down. Great that this is getting done.
Oscar Heller – the bridge project – an update. Things are moving forward. Amanda and I will go to a NH meeting Friday with the goal of getting us talking again. We are very optimistic that something can be worked out. Something that works for everyone – Brattleboro and Hinsdale.
Susan B – I will raise the Canal Street corridor plan – some of it is being implemented – parking has been eliminated on one side and moved to the other near the school.
Potter – we are not implementing components of that. This could be temporary markings.
Susan – the other thing is the information from the police about the number of calls in June – May – 1343, June 1401. That’s a significant increase. Over 300 more than last June. The number of calls to dispatch were over 8k. With the 1401 calls, that is 47 calls a day to police that they have to send out officers on. We have a lot more work to do. I sent an article to you about the opioid money not being distributed for trafficking – being held by the legislators. We aren’t getting the funds locally.
Dick D – I think the road are in better shape than before they were scarified. A motion made two weeks ago to approve the transportation project. I called the town attorney – he didn’t call back – Amanda sad not to exceed $550k for the project, and there is a contingency that isn’t part of the motion. So, if you need to tuse the contingency, then the board needs to come back to approve it. The motion was not to exceed.
Liz – we’ll look into that.
Ivan H – the renovations to the transportation center – will they fix the stairs in the SW corner – it is blocked off.
Potter – that is a separate project, in the parking fund to make that repair. Don’t know the stats. Close to being bid out.
Bob O. – last Saturday we cleaned on the Brattleboro shore of the bridges and encountered tow young women from Brooklyn asking how to get to the trail on Wantastiquet. It was awkward. So, how to explain that to folk, and we have a connection to Wantastiquet.
Gary S – We will be getting another pharmacy from Bellows Falls, and Rite Aid will be Kinney Drug Stores.
Consent Agenda
A. Sage Pub First and Third-Class Liquor License – Approve
B. Brattleboro Inn First Class Liquor License – Approve
C. Highway #131 Flushing Machine – Authorize $ 115,477.83 Purchase
D. Highway #18 Backhoe Loader – Authorize $126,185 Purchase
E. Utility Trucks #102, #108, and #111 – Authorize $116,704 Purchase
F. Opioid Settlement Funding Grant- Accept $32,157.00 Grant
G. Firehouse Subs Public Safety Foundation Grant – Ratify $20,473.44 Grant Application
Consented.
Green Mountain Power Ames Hill Road Project – Discussion
Liz – two people from GMP are here.
Tim Jones and Don Mills
Don – thanks for putting us on the agenda. We were here to discuss zero outage and are back to talk about Ames Hill. We met with DPW and shared maps and scope of the project, design materials, ROW agreements, specifics of means and methods of construction. From Hinesburg to Ames Hill Rd to Marlboro. Thursday will be first pass in Marlboro. The path toward approval, and whatever we can provide to you for the work agreement to contract in your roadway and fix things up as good or better the we are done.
Liz – when scheduled/
Don – 1st or 2nd week of August start to finish by winter (Halloween).
Amanda – starting in Marlboro or Brattleboro?
Don – Brattleboro. The overhead portion on Hinesburg.
Amanda – tell me about culverts – the town rebuilt some and it saved us. You will be overpaying with hurricane season and what’s the contingency?
Don – good question – culverts are important – small will be replaced, large we’ll rise up and go over. We want to trench 2500 feet per day. That’s how many are torn up per day. It moves as one. We’ll have daily looks at weather.
Amanda – culverts that are bridges?
Don -we’ll approach and go up and over, so no construction around bridges.
Neil – there are a lot of poles hanging things other than power – cable and telephone.
Don – joint utilities. GMP is putting spare duct in the ground to get others to join us underground. After we are back online. We’d like to retire the pole line – as much overhead as we can as we switch to underground.
Liz – thanks for coming tonight. Let us know if you need anything.
Street Food Festival Open Meeting Permit
Potter – I don’t know if we have reps… oh, online. So, the Brattleboro Street Food Festival wants an open meeting permit . When there are large amounts of people expected we alert you.
Jordan B – this would be our 3rd year at the common. There isn’t a central entry point. Not sure if you need to review this. We anticipate 1500 people throughout the day – 11 am to 4 pm.
Bud L – I’m an ad rep and organizer. WE typically… it is weather dependent. It hasn’t rained. It has been hot. Not like a concert or sporting event. People come for 15- 20 minute for food. Some spend an hour with the band or circus school, but there is no entry fee. It’s a community event and people come and go. The 1500 aren’t there all at once.
Liz – that sounds delightful.
Oscar – glad you are still doing this.
Peter Case – we did collaborations between them and a nonprofit I serve. We moved our event. People enjoy it.
Amanda – are vendors responsible for trash?
Bud – we take care of it. The organization does it.
approved.
Utility Rate Ordinance and Rate Schedule
Liz – we have the exciting second reading of the code of ordinance… Utility Rate Ordinance and Rate Schedule.
Dan Tyler – it is the second reading. Yea re asking for two motions – to adopt the changes to the ordinances (removing rpecific rates from the ordinances and refers to a fee chart – so we can just adjust rates and not redo orindiances in the future. Then the second motion would be to adopt the rates. 5 year schedule FY26 with 9% increase to water, and FY27 9%, then 3% each year after… on sewer (…less.)
Liz – as we discussed at the last meeting.
John Potter – the fee schedule was left off your materials – you have them here tonight.
Amanda – connection charges that were amended – what we see here is the actual – the changed one? OK.
Dan – they are still in there.
Amanda – I see it scratched off – $100 per unit… does it appear somewhere else?
Dan – we didn’t change connection fees.
Potter – you may need to add it to the fee schedule.
Liz – we did discuss this in detail at previous meetings. Thanks, Dan, for incorporating all those concerns.
Adopt the changes? Yes. 5-0
Adopt the fee schedule, as amended? Yes. 5-0
2025 Tax Year Contributions
Potter – is Jenepher Burnell online or in town? Ahh… this is about properties that don’t pay taxes.
Jenepher Burnell – you have two spreadsheets. One shows the nonprofits that have had negotiation with town for a negotiated contribution and they come through the assessors office. The fees paid,….the negotiations range in different agreements and percentages but roughly similar. The second spreadsheet shows non-profits that own property that .. one or two make payments. The suggestion that I have is 48% and that comes from working with the finance department to capture and understanding of the expenses budgeted in FY26 for said waste, police, fire, DPW. There is a column showing full tax amount, then the suggested contribution for each parcel. I’ve included… so some expeditions are made by coming tot he listers and filling out a form, guide by case studies that have gone to the Supreme Court. The Listers decide if they fall under the 3 prong test for expedition – , then you have churches, railroads, hospitals, federal government and state owned properties are listed. I also provide a sample letter it is similar to letter I send out, but this would be signed by the selectboard.
Liz – great, thank you.
Potter – we are looking for the board’s thoughts. We have a suggested motion. The question is .. there are these exempt organizations that do pay some.. do you want to ask for additional donations from them? Do you want to send letters asking for voluntary contributions to the others on the second spreadsheet? Treat everyone the same? How to move forward?
Liz – the letter is an opening of a conversation with each interest party? Who does those negotiations.
Jenepher – I do. We see Rescue is responsible for taxes on their land. We inspected the land and let them know the letter would come, but I haven’t had any negotiations. Predecessors id that two or three ago.
Potter – we would put together letters and you could sign them then some organizations may ignore us or say it is not for us, and that’s fine, we are just asking if they want to be good community partners for essentials services that they benefit from, and they may want to pitch in and there is a suggested donation in there. If any want to have a conversation.. this won’t lead to agreements, just what an organization might be able to manage.
Liz – so yo will send the letters and not follow up?
Peter – I’d like to do wordsmithing – rather than asking for 48%, say it takes 48%. At the top of the list is a nonprofit I’m the president of – we contribute 2k a year. We do own some property and house some people. Maybe in a separate letter to go to the people you already have. I’d reword it to say 48% of what you have covers these costs, because… I don’t know if we could bear a 48% payout right now. A follow up with a set expectation is not unrealistic – a more personable approach, maybe a phone call. I’m happy to help. I could help with sales pitching, if appropriate. It is important we try to get people added to this first page.
Isaac Evans-Frantz – I appreciate the effort, and where there is a lease agreement we should follow up on those agreements, like the one with Rescue. A defining characteristic of nonprofits is their tax exempt status because the bebnnefot they provide. They get town services, but we get metal benefits, like what the hospital provides. In relation to the federal cuts, already hard for the hospital, this isn’t the best moment to ask organizations.
Peter – and NO is an acceptable request.
Liz – it is never a good time, so it is a good time for us to ask.
Oscar – I think it is OK to ask. We should be clear that non-profits earned their status the right way, they haven’t done anything wrong, they aren’t causing hardship… but some may want to contribute something. Two technical notes – don’t bother the top sheet of people who already contributed. I don’t mind asking, but it wouldn’t be out of line to leave the first list off this year. Not unhappy either way.
Liz – since they are the examples, they might want to up it a little.
Amanda – Brattleboro has the most non-profits of any other town in Vermont. It is mutually beneficial, but we are talking about working together and getting compensated for essential services, to help the taxpayers in town. I ask our nonprofits to have a conversation and ask what you could do. It could be great if it were something, as a gesture. Or oodles and oodles of money. We are having a reframe. It’s been a long time since these organizations were asked.
Gemma S – I have a number of questions. Where are the ordinances that govern property tax exemptions? What determines the exemption? And, for fairness, I’m not a fan of property tax exemptions (see Henry George), but how do these laws impact renters not landowners -is there a cutout for them?
Liz – Renters pay rent.
Gemma – and included is the property tax/exemption…
Liz – so if landlord is tax exempt…
Gemma – the landlord would not be tax exempt and the renter…
Peter – the list is just for the non-profits that own land.
Jenepher – there are statutes for both lists – some are from Public Pious and Charitable, that goes to the Listers for them to decide whether they qualify. There is guidance from court cases and the form indicates you need to be non profit, open to the public, to an indefinite class of people. It gets difficult at times and ask guidance from town attorney. one are clear and some are not. There are statutes for economic development. Everything here is state statute guided or federal.
Gemma – Henry George – American economist – progress and poverty- 1879. Prpertytaxes are at the state and local level, not federal.
Oscar – is it accurate that we don’t have much control over their tax exempt status? Like a hospital? Happy to hear Henery George come up in any context.
Bill H – how many nonprofits are we asking for a contribution? a lump sum or spread out? and does this vote set a precedent for years to come?
Liz – we have sent out letters before. It could be a lump sum or whatever they are willing to pay.
Jenepher – we suggest paying quarterly, like tax bills..
Potter – total of 53 letters to potentially send out.
Heidi – Thanks for doing this. I like the focus of asking organizations to pay for municipal services they receive, then explain the numbers afterward it might be better received.
Dick D – it says we hope you choose to make a one time or quarterly contribution – I’d like you to say in here that you are not obligates. I agree with Isaac. I hope we have the Brattleboro Hospital at the end of the year, and here we are asking fro a contribution. I asked about BDCC’s agreement. I disagree with Oscar – ask everyone on the list for money – no one should be exempt. People who get this better – don’t send a contribution. Community is community. We benefit from having these organizations. When we look at Groundworks, who receive a lot of services, the Town gave them money to put up their new building – town shouldn’t have helped if they didn’t want them here. I understand why you are doing it but disappointed. I hope you vote this down. It sends the wrong message to the community as w whole.
Liz – is there anyone online? Ready to take a vote?
Amanda – with the 2027 reassessment coming up, how will this change with the reassessment. Their assessed values?
Jenepher – everyone will have a new assessment. If they are exempt, they will have a zero tax.
Amanda – the chart is based on 48% of full municipal tax… I wanted clarity.
Liz – there will be different calculation. Based on the new tax rate and fees. This is for this year, and there will be one next year, and recalculated every year.
Amanda – could a nonprofit that owns property phase up their contribution to the ideal 48% if they want to contribute to the town?
Liz – absolutely.
Jenepher – this is just a suggestion. That’s why we call it a negotiation.
Potter – we’ll try this out this year and tell you how it went and you can decide how it went and if you want to continue.
Oscar – I appreciate the comments from Isaac and Dick – I think this is worth trying but – an important part is the wording of the letter. I’d like to approve the letter we are signing…
Liz – let’s vote now and the final letter should be sent to each of us and we comment on it not reply all…and that way it is not bound to a meeting and a process. Jenepher will get input from us and we can see the letter.
Oscar – that seems to drift into weird territory for me. Can we just approve it at our next meeting when we see it.
Peter – the driving thing behind this is that nonprofits don’t realize they are burden on the town. No is an acceptable letter. It doesn’t need to be in the letter. I’m happy to help you wordsmith this. Any amount would be appreciated. So maybe I agree with you somewhat that it is just a suggestion.
Potter – would the board be okay if we took what we heard today and ran the final draft by Peter, Heidi and Oscar?
Degray – I didn’t get an answer about BDCC
Liz – we’ll follow up.
Degray – we’ll get back to you doesn’t work for me.
Jenepher – it is an economic development agreement – we should look to see if they are required to make a PILOT. I don’t know how the negotiation happened, whether it is in the statute, they make the contribution based on the vacancy – they have an exemption for the vacancy percent of a building and pay taxes on the rest. It is a small amount they are exempt.
Isaac – if an organization pays money to the town, that is less money to help provide services to the community. RTM just voted to approve funds to them, and we are asking that money be retro ned to the town. I suggest we send this to organizations RTM has not given funds to through the Human Services Committee.
Peter – RTM is not an option – we have to give that money. No is an option for this letter. I don’t know that going around and around is worth it. It comes down to what the letter says. I hear what you are saying. I have a small organization and we contribute $2k to the tax base. I’m not saying another can afford that. RTM not an option. They voted it in and get that money. I don’t see the comparison.
Liz – I’m, have we all weighed in…
Oscar – I see.. it does seem silly to give them money ask for it back 6 months later. If we start picking and choosing who to send the letter to it seems less fair. People should feel free to say no.
Peter – this is part of us trying to shore up our budget more.
Amanda – so we are doing another motion? Move to approve the list for negotiated contributions , with a finalized letter…
4-1 Isaac against
FY25 May Budget Report
Potter – it is the whole thing for the month of May – general fund and enterprise funds. Shows year to date revenues and expenses. May 31 2025. (reads memo) EMS receivables are in there… a new receivable this year. 1.7 million surplus at this juncture. Utilities – (reads memo) , Parking (reads memo). $4million in outstanding loans. 30 active grants. 5 grants in application process. Plus it shows a transfer report.
Oscar – the cash received for EMS includes the $250k seed funding. We are well over budget on revenue, even if the $1.2 million in outstanding claims vanished. And we are expecting to get some of this. It could really overperform. The other notes – the seed funding has been a point of contention but you can see the effect now – some of the money build last fiscal year will come in this year and will make things look better than it is. I think it was ok to seed it in this way.
Liz – I concur. It is worth an explanation of these deficits in the utilities and parking funds…
Potter – they were planned. The cash position of utilities is great. The parking budget you went over recently. We think we’ve turned a corner on that now.
Isaac – could you explain the transfer out to the utilities to general fund and community safety to capital fund?
Potter – there are certain central services provided that are funded in the general fund so we make transfers to cover costs. The transfer from the community safety fund to the capital fund…? Ahh yes, that was when we did the improvements to the Transportation Center for extra fencing on the roof. The selectboard transferred some funs to help pay for it.
Oscar – those deficits – depreciation is still something we want to balance the budget around. The new parking rates should balance that. The utility deficit cash on hand will be used, and the rates are now set that it will all work out. Both deficits have a plan in place and don’t expect problems going forward.
Amanda – I look forward to seeing June and July… May is a long time ago.
Dick D – on page 7 of 18, back when this board – intergovernmental totals – when you redid the budget we found that there were several mistakes and we were short funded, and we asked if you looked at the present budget for shortfalls. When I look at social security and retirement – social security is underfunded, and retirement is underfunded. How can these be so off, when these are put together before you do you budget and this is over $300k shortfall.
Liz – this is from may…
Potter – this is May of last year. I’d say the best thing might be to hold your question for when we review the whole year. There was some underestimating in the budget, and we did cover a lot of it..
Kate O – one little request I know I won’t get – use actuals, not receivables. It is confusing and you have to put asterisks. For EMS – the fire department gave us the actual collected for the year – $899k… $62k more than we anticipated. The town report is receivable… I appreciate how the fire department does it.
Potter – I hate to punt on this but when we have the finance consultant here at the next meeting – she says this is how we’ve always done it, so it would be a change you are asking for. This is the way we report figures and get it audited.
Liz – or the FD does it one way the the accounting methods do it their way.
Oscar – because we are now using the modified accrual accounting method that is how the numbers come out. Our compromise as of last week was to have the table with the actuals… the six big things will be shown. The info will be here.
Liz – it is both ways now?
Oscar – it is a little confusing for non accountants. I made that mistake
Fric – I want to appreciate the fact that with the scale of what you are doing – it has to be accrual. Actual numbers change every day. Accrual numbers are more stable. It is where the more useful data is, except at the end of the year…
Break for 7 or 8 minutes…
Vacant Building Ordinance – Appoint Building Safety Officer and Adopt Fees
(They are bit late returning – good thing there isn’t a vacant seat ordinance! Ha! Ordinance joke….)
Sue Fillion – the vacant building ordinance went into effect in May. As we geared up, there hadn’t been an official adoption of fees. No fee schedule adopted. We consulted and we feel you should officially establish the fees. It was established to help with the bad things associated with vacant buildings . There is a registry of van cat but,dings, obligations for property owners, and then there is a fee. It gets paid by March 15 of each year, prorated. It doubles annually. There are some waivers -if it is for sale at a reasonable price or a plan for rehab or repair or demolish. So we’ll set the fees and set a building safety officer. Brian Bannon is a natural fit. For fees – begin at $1000, then doubles annually – 2k, 4k, 8k, then in 5k increments after that. Those fees are all over the place in the state. Burlington does it their way. Barre does it their way. Rutland has another fee. We recommend $1000 so it is somewhat punitive – we have several properties that have been sitting for years. Owners are just sitting on it.
Liz – the previous board discussed the merits, so this is about fees and the officer.
Oscar – I always loved this ordinance – my only comment. I hope we get frequent updates on how it is going. penalties could be too low.
Amanda – I’m unclear what the building safety officer responsibilities would be.
Sue – they’ll be taking complaints, doing investigations, decide on waivers, do enforcement, inspections as necessary…
Isaac – great to see this moving forward . Seems like a great way to encourage occupancy… do we need to name ti individual, or appoint the role of zoning officer as the building safety officer.
Peter – would it always be the zoning administrator? I like that suggestion…
Liz – people can come back and ask.
Sue – good questions, for the town attorney. Brian is appointed as the zoning administrator. There is some official action to appoint him as the specific person. Tonight you could do the name then we roll it..
(by name)
Susan – the fee schedule is quite hefty. What teeth does it have if people ignore the fee schedule. Can the town take legal action and take the property and make it acceptable again? Otherwise it is just a rubber bunny slipper thrown to the wind, sorry to use that analogy.
Liz – interesting question about the teeth.
Sue – there is a provision where it is a civil matter and can enforce it that way. We’d start with tickets then go to court action. There is a stipulation in here where we could get permission from the court to demolish or put a lien on it. Through the courts.
Susan – if the owner is paying taxes you can’t do a tax sale. Maybe get ownership through the court for not paying the fine. I’d love to see a property fall into that category be resold and not be a town burden.
Liz – we’ll see how this works. We want to be a prod to get people to act.
Gemma – I was not part of the discussion of this ordinance. Two major objections. The fee schedule is almost nothing. It would take 4.5 years to reach the 8k mark. It is nowhere near punitive enough to get people to move on properties. Second, the fee schedule is not related to the assess value of the property and it should be.
Sue – we looked at how fees are modeled. Tying it to the assessment is not something we saw.
Liz – we could roll it out, see how it gos, and you could come back and say Gemma was right on and we should up the numbers.
Gemma – I’d like to add I am in support of the ordinance and is better than nothing. Just keep in mind it is probably not enough and should be tied to assess value.
FRic – what kind of research
Liz – ask me
Frick – my question is for Sue… any research why people haven’t been able to occupy their properties, then the efficacy and legality of taking property because people are unable to occupy, and who decides if they are choosing to market it or at a reasonable price.
Liz – those are psychological questions about real estate and our planning director hasn’t researched this.
Sue – we had some conversations – some are sitting vacant because there are deaths in the family and no one wants to touch it.
Liz – dormancy
Fric – so they’d be punished for a death in the family?
Sue – yes, clean it up and sell it. The ordinance has ways to determine reasonable values – comparable homes, appraiser values, etc.
Fric – I feel like we are stepping on private property rights – people to do and not do as they please. Especially not do… there can be rules and guidance for new developments, but if already developed it feels like a huge overstep to tell them what to do. I’m not the only one distressed by the punitive nature of real estate and rental housing regs. Whippings will continue until morale improves. This should apply to vacant lands next? Feels like an insane step.
Liz – vacant lands were discussed and rejected. The intent is to get vacant and non secure property secured and or developed. Or maintain under the town rules. This is for dilapidated and unsecured properties.
Peter – we were thinking of Sportsman’s Lounge when this was written.
Fric – will it apply to Home Depot building?
Liz – the Home Depot is secured and follows the rules.
Oscar – this appears to be legal… (yes, based on VLCT)
Ivan H – I’m sorry – two circumstances – properties in probate are they subject to this, and does the clock restart with a transaction. If it gets sold and sits, is that 3 months of being abandoned or is it already part.. continuing to be empty?
Sue – if it is actively… I don’t know about probate – some are stuck in probate because no on wants to step forward – the second question, a sale would restart the clock with the new property owner.
Oscar – My understand will be is that this will start a conversation with the property owner.
Sue – we’ll roll this out mid-August by sending a letter to poetries sitting for more than 6 months and tell them to register. That should open the conversation.
Dick D – when will a lien kick in to make sure we do get payment and I would disagree – I don’t think this is landowner rights, but blighted properties which do nothing for the community as a whole. I believe the fee should be much higher. Money is a certain deterrent. I support this.
Liz – previous discussions have been about the health safety and welfare of the community.
Sue – the lien we’d request – asking for demolition a lien to secure… not to take over the property. Demolition is a way to do that.
Dick – if you get a $100 fine, then $2k.. why not place a lien on the property to make sure we get the money off they decide to sell the property so we get the fine we ..we shouldn’t be waiving it. We should be guaranteed to get the money. Initiate the fine and the lien.
Susan B – I can speak to liens. If you put it on there, then the mortgage owner will force the owner to take care of it because they are a risk to them. A lien can put a hold on something for the municipality so a sale can take place quickly… if the municipal bill is in the records they can’t circumvent a payment at the time of a sale.
Liz – Fric I’ll give you 1 minute.
Fric – you just let her speak. You don’t like what I’m saying…
Liz – I’m giving you the same courtesy…
Fric – I’m hoping some of you can punt this down the road before doing punitive measures…
Brian appointed and fees adopted in a single vote.
Fire Department’s Quarterly Report. FY25 Q4
Fire Chief Jay Symonds, Asst Chief and Bill Fritz.
Symonds – (reads a short version of the report). Dave Emory will be retiring. Got inspected by the state by surprise and passed A-OK. Budgets doing well. Transformative year. Lots of training and certifications.
Liz – what we approved on consent was receiving a grant for the PREVENT program?
Fritz – no – it is for post -overdose withdrawal patients. The other is community education NARCA training, etc.
Liz – good job.
Oscar – thanks for the report, which I love. We are – the $899 in reimbursement is better than it seems. I’m still optimistic about next year and this is going really well. Re: vacancies – is it difficult to hire?
Symonds – there was a time when there was a line out the door. We work hard to vet our candidates and that takes time. It takes 30-60 days, then there is orientation or 6 months to a year.
Amanda – patients that decline treatment – is that comparable to other communities. 114 declined treatment? What does that look like in the moment.
Symonds – it is very common. We provide a lot more in-home care now. People are too hot and we help with opening a window,. Or someone needs help hooking up oxygen. A lot we do on the scene. Often there will be a third party that called, but the patient doesn’t want the ambulance.
Fritz – many overdoses, after NARCAN will decline treatment. That’s where the PREVENT program will have a great hook to help this people.
Isaac – thanks, and I want to highlight that you’ve seen more EMS calls, you have decreased the response times. A minute can make a big difference so I appreciate your work on that.
Degray – EMS collections – can you give us a guess on overtime for the year? And training costs – $30k – but you’ve spent $6k by May – only a small portion had been spent.
Symonds – overtime for the EMS or FD? FD? I don’t have the number in front of me. Can’t answer that right now. The training budget…
Liz – there has been training dn maybe it is more affordable.
Assist Chief K – right – we use state resources, free training, etc. That’s where you see that budget line not spent.
Heidi – I had similar questions . The numbers look great. EMS vs FD numbers for overtime…??
Thanks.
Meeting done at 9pm