Public Protection Committee
Minutes of 10:00 A.M., August 12, 2009 Meeting
Town Office Meeting Room
Abbreviations Description Abbreviations Description
Admin Administration Department MRm Meeting Room
BH Bar Harbor NEH Northeast Harbor
BOS Board of Selectmen PS Pump Station
COC Chamber of Commerce PT Part-time
FD Fire Department SH Seal Harbor
FF Fire Fighter SV Somesville
FT Full-time SWH Southwest Harbor
MDWD Mount Desert Water District WC Warrant Committee
MMA Maine Municipal Association WWTP Wastewater Treatment Plant
I. Call to Order
The meeting was called to order at approximately 10:01 A.M. by Chief Bender.
II. Roll Call of Members
Attendance Present Attendance Present
“Voting Members (9 total)” Citizen Rep. Kathy Branch (Kathy) No
Citizen Rep. Mary-Lee Bayne (MLB) No Pub. Works Dir. Tony Smith (TS) Yes
Citizen Rep. Katie Bell (KB) No Police Chief Jim Willis (JW) Yes
Fire Chief Mike Bender (MB) Yes “Non-voting attendees/at large”
Harbormaster Shawn Murphy (SM) No Town Mgr. Mike MacDonald (MM) No
NEHA Joanne Robbins (JR) Yes BOS Liaison Rick Mooers (RM) Yes
Citizen Rep. Dennis Shubert (DS) Yes MDWD Mgr. Paul Slack (PS) No
Citizen Rep. Sharon Gilley (SG) Yes Basil Mahaney (BM) for JR-NEHA No
MLB and KB called Chief Bender and told him they would not be in attendance. Selectman Jean Bonville was in attendance for the entire meeting as a member of the public.
III. Discussion/Approval of Minutes
Minutes of July 8, 2009: SG corrected the minutes regarding the deed to the COC building. She obtained it from the town office not John Butler. Motion made and passed to accept the corrected minutes: 6-0 (DS-TS).
V. New Business (Taken out of order).
A. SG asked if anyone on the PPC has said that the MRm is the answer. RM explained that the PPC needs to evaluate the priorities we have developed and see where the MRm fits into them. He told the group that JB recommended at the BOS meeting in question that the issue be given to the PPC for consideration. It was stated that we will be looking at all options for the PD, including as new building. DS stated that he felt we could get an article regarding the PD on the warrant for the November special town meeting.
B. The agenda item that drew the most discussion was regionalization. DS asked who called for the workshop. RM explained that it was the general consensus of the BOS to hold it to address issues that have been brought up in the past but only touched upon or never resolved. Much discussion ensued about regionalization but no consensus was arrived at. It will be discussed further by the PPC at future meetings.
IV. Unfinished Business
A. PD and dispatch: JW summarized the efforts he and TS have made reviewing the use of the MRm for PD and dispatch. JW briefly went over the sketch he and TS have put together showing the type-rooms that PD needs. He also presented a copy of SWH’s new PD space. JW said that the MRm will work for his needs.
Drawbacks to using the MRm for other than what it is presently used for include: losing space for a lunchroom, meeting space, storage, conference room, BOS MRm, committee meeting space and training space. Prior to making a formal proposal to the BOS, these issues, with recommendations, will be addressed by the PPC.
TS estimated the remodeling of the MRm for the PD to cost approximately $250-$300,000 for the 1,365-square feet of space.
DS pointed out that: the PD is our number one priority; the MRm will work for the PD according to JW; it appears the cost of remodeling will be less than half the cost of a new building and; if the BOS agrees, we need a budget to include in an article for the warrant of the November special town meeting to address engineering and remodeling costs.
JW explained that he spoke with John Lawrence of the COC and Noelle Musson of CES about the existing COC building. He discovered it is not insulated, it is not on a foundation and it was agreed during the harbor study that the best thing to do is to tear it down and start over.
JW asked MB if the potentially vacated PD space would work for the FD. MB stated that a primary concern of using the for PD is that the FD will lose its training room. MB said the FD could go to the school or library but that it is a tough sell to the FF’s. He also stated that the SV and SH MRm’s could be used for training but the NEH FF’s are unwilling to travel to those locations for training.
MB went on to explain that the PD space would work for the FD less a training room and housing for FT FF’s in the future. It will work for the short-term but probably not on the not to distant future. FD space will need an office for the chief, a training room, housing for the FT FF’s, a day room, shower facilities, and restrooms. He said the PD will likely work for the short-term meaning three-to-five years out if the hallway and adjacent public restrooms are turned into useable FD space.
DS brought up the subject of regionalizing dispatch services and what do the townspeople want for service. Right now, dispatch has someone in it 24-7 and is regarded as a safe haven for people. Do the townspeople want to sacrifice service to save money?
RM stated that some, all or no aspects of regionalization may or may not work. He reminded us to keep in mind what our charge is as a committee and just how unique our community is. He stated that a discussion of regionalization has value. DS agreed with RM asking why do we need four fire chiefs? TS said it is because we have four towns on MDI. DS said TS was just changing titles (as opposed to a fire district with a commissioner-type head and four subordinates). TS stated that we already have regionalization – it is called mutual aid. JW pointed out the PD has the same mutual aid agreement as does the FD.
JW discussed a few points about regionalized dispatch. The PSAP is paid for through our respective telephone bills. He said a regional communications center paid for by our county taxes is coming which will require an increase in county taxes to pay for it. The TOMD presently pays 13% of the county tax bill.
RM offered that if we did go to a county dispatch service we could use our current staff for receptionists, to maintain and let people into a safe haven and for filing work. He said we should not pigeonhole ourselves relative to the creativity of ideas concerning dispatch.
DS offered that moving the PD to the MRm will not solve all the problems e.g. the FD will likely outgrow the vacated PD space in three-to-five years and admin is still cramped for efficient space.
VI. Adjournment
The following action was taken: Motion to adjourn at 11:32 A.M. Motion made and passed: TS-SG (6-0).
VII. Next Meeting
The next meeting is September 9, 2009 at 10:00 AM at the NEH MRm.
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