Volunteer Study Committee Minutes
Date: September 15, 2014 Time: 7:07 Place: Fire Station
APPROVED
Attendance – P-Present, A-Absent, EXC-Excused
( P ) Diane Boilard - Resident
( P ) David Bridgewater – Newer member of the GFD
( A ) Jim Conway – Past Chief of the GFD
( P ) Kristine Hall – Past officer of the GFD
( A ) Paul Haut-Renaud – Past member of the GFD
( P ) Lee Leblanc – Member of the GIVers
( EXC ) Bob Marshall – Planning Board Chairperson
( P ) Jim Murphy – Deputy Rescue Chief of the GFD
( P ) Glenn Roberge – Police Officer of the GPD – Chair Person
( P ) Loren White – Fire Chief of the GFD – Secretary
( EXC ) Margo Charig Bliss - BOS Liaison
( EXC ) Deb Davidson - BOS informational
( P ) Karen Day - BOS informational
Chair person Glenn Roberge brought the meeting to order at 7:07.
Glenn R. presented a letter proposal from Margo Charig Bliss to be sent to business owners. After some discussion about hosting a dinner or breakfast for the business owners to attend it was decided to table the letter with the prospect of Retired Deputy Chief David Hall, who is currently a fire department training officer and longtime membership recruiting liaison of the department who is also planning a fund raiser for the development of a training structure at the fire department. David H. is planning to personally approach the local businesses for their support and contributions. Loren W. felt that David would be happy and very comfortable representing this committee’s objective to increase volunteer membership on the department. Kristine H. stated that it might be too much to be asking repeatedly of the businesses in town with a
letter and fundraising effort and agreed to table the letter.
Karen D. provided a more accurate amount for the survey distribution, estimated to be $46.00.
Discussion about developing a letter to the residents, outlining the fire departments operational functions to provide a better understanding of the service and its needs. Karen will address this with the BOS.
Diane B. asked for the information requested last month, providing the number of fire & rescue calls, times, attendance and other ratio information. Loren W. had not yet followed up on the request, Kristine H. mentioned that Loren W. was away for a week. Diane B. asked if the information was kept on a computer. Jim M. indicated that he needed to proceed with caution regarding HIPPA laws which the committee accepted and Jim also pointed out that the reports he could generate would not include calls where no medical care was provided as this is not part of the reports ability. Jim also pointed out that the fire calls are done using a different reporting system that does not associate with the EMS reporting system. Loren & Kristine indicted that they expect to have a partial report for the next meeting as there are 175 – 250 calls
per year to summarize.
Loren W. asked if the committee had any questions about the Fire Department or Association Bylaws. Karen D. provided an explanation on the need for the 2-sets of bylaws being recommended by the town’s insurance provider. Loren indicated that both sets of Bylaws had been in existence for many years in 1 document and that there were not any changes except the separation as they pertained to the separate entities. There were no questions.
Diane B. asked about obtaining a copy of the Fire Department SOG’s. Loren W. said he would be happy to provide them but had concerns about the public questioning them when they generally would not have an understanding of the terminology or the application. Diane assured Loren that it was her nature to understand as much as possible about how the department operates. Loren appreciated her desire.
Jim M. asked Loren W. why his comments were not included in the minutes following Paul HR’s comments last month. Loren apologized, saying that he was so perplexed that he overlooked it and said it was not intentional.
Jim M. asked if we could discuss the letter that he requested be e-mailed to the committee members with comments about last months meeting. Several members took a moment to review the context of the letter. Committee members generally agreed that the last meeting had a distasteful segment that was inappropriate. Glenn R. was upset that it took place and was not aware that it was going to occur, assuring that it would not happen again. Glenn was also very uncomfortable with the letters not being presented by the authors. Glenn indicated that if he were to provide the same in court without the authors being present, they would not be considered by the court.
The merits of the letters presented to the chair person after they were revealed last month were questioned and the committee asked to receive copies without identifying names for discussion next month. Glenn R. asked if the committee wanted this to be done. Everyone agreed and Glenn R. suggested that Loren W. would be provided copies to be shared with the committee members for discussion next month and Loren W. could take the opportunity to provide comments to them as necessary. Loren agreed.
Everyone was happy with the progress of tonight’s meeting and wants to insure that future meetings will be as productive.
Meeting adjourned at 9:10 PM, Next meeting is posted for 7-PM, October 20th, at the Fire Station.
Respectfully submitted, Loren White – Committee Secretary
Future meetings – 3rd Monday of each Month, 7-PM at the GFD
Purpose – As stated below from the Minutes of Town Meeting, March 15, 2014.
Article 25: To transact any other business that may legally come before this meeting.
Fire Chief Loren White made a motion “to establish a committee for the purpose of seeking ways to increase and preserve volunteerism on Greenfield’s Fire Department so we can provide an adequate level of fire and EMS services”.
Mr. White stated that Greenfield is one of only two towns in the region that have truly volunteer fire and rescue personnel, and suggested that there be five to ten people on the committee.
Voice vote: Motion passes.
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