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Monday, March 25, 2013

Garden City Fire Board Meeting Report


Anita Weston, Reporter
Rich Civic Times 

GARDEN CITY, Utah. March 21, 2013.  There are three more class periods for the Firefighter I Class.  When it is finished, classes in Hazmat Awareness and Operations will be taught.  There are 14 out of 20 in the current class who will be taking the skills test.  Fifteen will be taking the written exam.  Eight individuals from Garden City will be taking both the written and skills tests. 

Samples and proposals for the Fire District web site have been received.  The Board decided that it would be best to have a local person keep the web site current.  It was moved and seconded to accept the bid from a local individual. 

Board members had gone over the employee contract with Chief Kurek.  There were some minor changes, but all felt it was a good contract.  A motion was made and carried to add this contract to the Policies and Procedures manual. 

According to the current Policies and Procedures, any comp time that has been earned by Chief Kurek prior to the end of three months (a quarter of the year) must be cancelled if it hasn’t been used.  Chief Kurek has been teaching the Firefighter I Class which consumes eight teaching hours each week in addition to all the preparation time.  In addition, a grant became available that would be very beneficial to the District.  Kurek put in many hours working to get a new truck, sell an old one, write the grant, and meet the deadline.  Ben Negus and Christina Gracey determined that any hours not used by Chief Kurek by the end of March should be zeroed out.  Terry Allen, Randall Knight, and Travis Hobbs felt that a month leeway should be allowed since so many hours were used so close to the end of the first quarter. 

The new 2013 UFRA grant is due April 14.  Chief Kurek asked that he request wild land gear, shelters, and possibly some more radios in the grant.  The Board agreed with this suggestion. 

The pump on truck Brush 40 needs to be replaced.  Chief Kurek requested that the pump currently on Brush 40 be repaired and placed on Tender 40, and a new pump be purchased to be placed on Brush 40.  The new pump will cost about $4,800 to do this.  The current pump to be placed on Tender 40 is a rather small pump but would work very well for parameter protection.  A new wild land pump, however, is essential.  The Board approved this suggestion.  

Brush  Truck 41 had a bad battery.  The battery was traded in for a new one, and this truck now seems to be working fine. 

CDL driver’s license is not required for tender drivers.  However, it would be to the benefit of everyone if the drivers were thus certified.  There are costs involved in getting this CDL license.  There is a $45 medical physical, $60 testing fee, $20 endorsement fee, and $75 driving test fee.  The Board felt it shouldn’t be required of all firefighters, but that the firefighters be encouraged to get this license.  The motion was made that the Fire District pay 50 percent of the license fees excepting the medical physical.  This would be for the Class A combination CDL license and tank endorsement.  The individual must pass and be in good standing in the Department.  The individuals must also remain with the department for one year after obtaining the endorsement.  The Department will do this one time only per person. 

Chief Kurek requested that three pass devices be purchased to repair equipment that aren’t working properly.  Permission was given. 

Responses this month included three business inspections, three short term rental inspections, one medical call, and one county call.

The Department needs to begin getting new radios.  It would probably be a good idea to budget for about two a year. 

The Board will hold a workshop in April to work on several policies. 

Chief Kurek was requested to stop doing short term rental inspections until he is told whether the city and district are going to have a commercial or residential inspection.  Currently, these inspections are being done for free.  A fee should be charged.  In order to charge a fee, a public hearing will need to be held. 

 

 

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