PUBLIC HEARING MINUTES
OCTOBER 16, 2006
7:30 P.M.
SOUTH WINDSOR COUNCIL CHAMBERS
PURPOSE: TO RECEIVE CITIZEN INPUT ON A PROPOSAL TO AUTHORIZE THE TOWN MANAGER TO ENTER INTO MUTUAL ASSISTANCE AGREEMENT WITH THE TOWN OF MANCHESTER FOR THE DESIGNATION OF FIRE MARSHALS
The Public Hearing was called to order at 7:30 p.. by Mayor Matthew Streeter. The Clerk of the Council read the Call of the Meeting (a copy of which is attached). The following Town Council Members were present: Mayor Streeter, Deputy Mayor Delnicki, and Councillors Fine, Havens, McCann, Moriarty, Pelkey, Prague, and Yagaloff. Also present was Town Manager Matthew B. Galligan. There were approximately five people present in the audience.
Mayor Streeter pointed out that this item was also included on the Agenda for this evening’s Regular Town Council Meeting where it appears as Agenda Item 17. E. The Mayor asked for information from Fire Marshal Walter Summers.
Mr. Summers came forward to explain that the purpose of this Mutual Aid Agreement is to legally assign a Deputy Fire Marshal from another Town to cover vacations, illness, etc. so that this person can legally sign documents within a Town. He explained further that the local appointing authority has to approve each designated Fire Marshal and Deputy Fire Marshal when they work within your jurisdiction—that, he said, is what this Mutual Aid Agreement does—legally cover any decisions that are made in his absence.
The Town Manager pointed out that the Town also has “Mutual Aid Agreements” between Ambulance Corps, Police Departments, and Fire Departments in other Towns. In this case, and from a “regional” standpoint, he said, Manchester approached South Windsor to try to see if we might cover each other’s Towns with these Fire Marshals and Deputy Fire Marshals in the case of a “catastrophe” or something of that nature.
Eventually, he said, this may become more of a “regional” approach. East Hartford and other Towns are looking to join in eventually—because it may assist Towns with their growing public safety, etc. budgets.
MINUTES
Public Hearing – Town Council
Re: Mutual Assistance – Fire Marshals
Page 2
October 16, 2006
Another example of “mutual assistance,” according to Mr. Galligan, is our “Environmental Health Officer. He stressed the fact that we have only one of these Officers and he covers inspection of all the town’s septic systems, etc. When he’s on vacation, he said, the Town of Windsor covers our department for septic tank approvals and health issues; and the reverse is true when Windsor’s Health Officer is on vacation or out ill.
Coming forward to speak in support of this proposal was South Windsor’s Fire Chief Philip Crombie, Jr. He felt that a Mutual Aid Agreement of this sort was important particularly in communities of South Windsor’s and Manchester’s size where there is a very limited Fire Marshal Corp (South Windsor – 1 fulltime Fire Marshal; and 1 part-time Deputy Marshal). He concluded by stating that “support” certainly takes place through Mutual Aid on the “fire protection” side; and, he felt, of equal importance was the extra support on the “inspection” and “fire investigation” side of the business.
Mayor Streeter then called for a straw vote on this proposal. The result was as follows:
All those in favor of entering into a Mutual Assistance
Agreement with Manchester for the Designation of
Fire Marshal 1
Opposed: 0
The Public Hearing was closed at 7:40 p.m.; and the Work Session reconvened.
Respectfully submitted
Patricia R. Brown
Clerk of the Council
(Attmt.) – Public Hearing Notice
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