MINUTES
Board of Directors Meeting
Jasper County Emergency Services
February 27th, 2018
Vice Chairman Wilson called the meeting to order at 12:09 p.m., at the Board office, 13870 Dispatch Lane, Carthage, MO as per public notice. Present in addition to Vice Chairman Wilson, Carl Francis, James Harrison, and Dan Stanley. Representing staff was OSC Amber Madison and Executive Director April Ford.
No representing public.
Review and Action of Minutes
Open minutes of the Board of Director’s Meeting on February 6th, 2018 were reviewed.
Director Stanley motioned to approve the open and closed meeting minutes for February 6th 2018. Director Harrison seconded the motion. Vote: 4-0. The motion was adopted.
Public Comment and Correspondence
No public comment
Financial Report and Payment of Bills
The sales tax check for January was received on February 7th 2018 in the amount of $172,315.31. We have not received the sales tax check for February.
Total bills submitted for approval today $34,023.95. The checkbook balance after payment of bills will be $13,602.01. Accounts receivable balance is $3,016.67. (METS dispatching fees)
The money market account balance is $1,135,827.45.
Director Harrison motioned to approve the Financial Report with Payment of the Bills. Director Francis seconded the motion. Vote: 4-0. The motion was adopted.
Committee Reports
Executive Director Ford stated that we will need to have a special Service Committee meeting to discuss the upcoming contracts of the new radio system.
Executive Director Report
See Attached Report
- Executive Director Ford reviewed her report, highlighting that we will be having our financial audit on March 14th and 15th Executive Director Ford mentioned that we have been having some concerns with Carthage Police Department radios. Executive Director Ford stated that Mercy is working on a new app called Pulse Point. Executive Director Ford advised that the app is used in situations where if someone needs CPR, the app will put out an alert to everyone in that area that has signed up for this, and they will know that someone around them needs CPR. Director Harrison is worried about the civil liability that will be behind this. Director Harrison is unsure if the Good Samaritan law will apply with this. Director Harrison is worried that people might get sued if they don’t help. Executive Director Ford advised the board that Josh Pruitt has been deployed for military duty. Josh did not sign up for this and it was a surprise to all of us including Josh. Executive Director Ford advised that we are hiring for 2 full time positions, and we might be putting a TCO II in a Team Leader spot for now. Executive Director Ford advised that we just had a newly hired employee get released from fire and ems. Executive Director Ford highlighted that we have been having problems with returns coming back “not on file” in MULES for Texas. We realized this when CPD was able to get the return with the same information. MSHP has stated that they found the error and they assured us that it is fixed now. CPD has also been running people verbal only without getting a drivers’ license and we are getting not on file returns on some of these individuals due to the name spelling or date of birth. We have had a lot of issues with Hispanic names and CPD station dispatchers are finding them in their MNI-master name index in their records management software. We have asked for access to their MNI. Executive Director Ford stated that there has been some issues with the CPD radio. A Carthage Police Officer and Carthage station dispatch saw our radio key up with a unit identifier, but with no voice. While one of our radio techs were here, they also say the radio key up by an officer unit identifier come up but no voice. Executive Director Ford advised that we will be buying a camera to go in the server room to watch the radios so that we can take these recordings as evidence to the Jasper County Sheriff so that it can help them in solving the problem with the system. Executive Director Ford and the board discussed the current situation with our Governor and if it will change the outcome as it relates to the 9-1-1 legislation, if passed.
Unfinished Business
WCA Agreement
Executive Director Ford advised that we received an email from WCA and they are approving the same amount for trash service as our previous year.
American Business Systems Agreement
Executive Director Ford advised that ABS has stated that they will do a 60 month agreement with us and replace our current copiers with the newest models.
Director Francis motioned to approve that Executive Director Ford sign the agreement. Director Stanley seconded the motion. Vote: 4-0. The motion was adopted.
Policy-Health/Dental/Vision Insurance
Executive Director Ford reached out to the attorney that Director Dagnan suggested regarding employment benefits and related questions about our current policy in reference to our health, dental, and vision insurance when an employee is not able to work, but not eligible for FMLA. A discussion ensued regarding the question and it was determined that either a new policy or current policy would be modified to help the board in situations such as this where an employee status while off work on leave is unclear regarding their ability to return to work.
Barton County 9-1-1 Services
Executive Director Ford received the busy studies from AT&T in reference to their 911 calls. Executive Director Ford wants to set a service committee meeting to discuss the #’s and what rate should be charged if taking their 911 calls. We want to make sure that Barton County gets our CAD software for their center, so that we can call transfer the calls so there is not a delay. Executive Director Ford stated that she was advised that Barton County’s current 911 software is not working properly. Barton County has advised Director Ford that they may receive a 911 call and then not receive the next call. Executive Director Ford advised that our Systems Manager Mike Runnebaum will have to load Barton County’s maps and make sure that they look correct before we take over the calls. Executive Director Ford stated that she will need to talk this through with the service committee when they schedule a meeting. Once the service committee has a plan than Executive Director Ford will bring the proposal back to the Board for approval. Director Stanley is worried that Barton County might not be able to afford for us to take over the 911 calls. Executive Director Ford assured Stanley that Barton County can afford this change. Director Francis stated that he is concerned that for us to take over the 911 calls for Barton County that there would need to be a public vote. Director Francis is concerned for the citizens of Barton County, and he suggested that an Inter government agreement is necessary. Executive Director Ford will check on an Intergovernmental agreement, but does believe it is necessary.
Radio Console Project
Executive Director Ford advised that Motorola is out of the radio console project. Executive Director Ford is finishing up the project with Avtec and Zetron. Executive Director Ford advised that Avtec has not certified the same NextEdge radios before and that right now Avtec said they will be testing the radios. Executive Director Ford advised that the radio console project group is leaning towards Avtec because of the interoperability of the system, the configurability, and the ability to geo-diversify the servers for redundancy. The biggest concern with Zetron is that there will always be a 3rd party vendor involved, since they didn’t find a lot of customers taking care of their system themselves without a 3rd party vendor. Executive Director Ford stated that at this time Zetron has a lower price than Avtec, but she is confirming pricing with both.
New Business
Surplus
Executive Director Ford would like to let Jasper Fire Department buy or donate the Law North Antenna and coax cables to them. Executive Director Ford is not sure if they work or not and advised that we do not have any use for them. Executive Director Ford advised the board of the other items up for surplus on the worksheet that was included in the board packet.
Director Stanley motioned to approve that we donate the items to Jasper Fire Department and then surplus the items on the surplus list provided to the board. Director Harrison seconded the motion. Vote: 4-0. The motion was adopted.
Voiance for Language Translation Services
Executive Director Ford advised that Amber Madison has been speaking with Voiance about changing to their service for language line interpretation services. Office Support Clerk Madison went over the report that she had prepared for the board in reference to charges and customer service with Voiance. Madison gave the board a packet with data from our current language line provider and from Voiance. Madison advised the board that she took the interpreter bills from the year 2017 and compared them with what Voiance would have charged us. The savings for 2017 would have been $2,291.54. Executive Director Ford and the Jasper County Emergency Board all agreed that we needed to make the switch.
Payroll Provider-ADP vs Paychex
Executive Director Ford advised that she has been speaking with the company Paychex about out payroll services. Executive Director Ford advised that if we went with paycheck that we would be saving about $900.00 a year, no contracts, and we would get free webinars for our users. Executive Director Ford stated that we would need to change at the end of 2nd quarter in July so it gives us enough time to transition to Paychex.
Budget Amendment-Batteries
Executive Director Ford advised that we are needing the budget amended so that we can replace UPS batteries. Executive Director Ford advised that we have lost the UPS twice since she has been here. We will need to replace 108 small and 72 big batteries. DC Group has given us a quote including labor and shipping at $13,440.00. Executive Director Ford advised that these are backup batteries and that our generator kicks up in seconds after commercial power is lost. Executive Director Ford advised that our Systems Manager Mike Runnebaum is working with Battery Outfitters in Joplin to see if they will be any cheaper than DC Group.
Director Harrison motioned to approve the budget amendment for budget line code 61414 to $13,440.00. Director Stanley seconded the motion. Vote: 4-0. The motion was adopted.
Budget Amendment-Recorder
Executive Director Ford stated that we need to have a budget amendment for the budget line 60421. The current amount is $4400.00, we are wanting to amend the budget to $9,000.00 so we can purchase an interface that will show the unit identifiers on the recorder.
Director Francis motioned to approve the budget amendment for budget line code 60421 to $9,000.00. Director Harrison seconded the motion. Vote: 4-0. The motion was adopted.
Duenweg City PA- Non Terminal Agency Agreement
Executive Director Ford advised that she has been contacted by the Duenweg Prosecuting clerk’s Office in reference to them calling over to JASCO to run subjects for court. The Prosecutors office has been running subjects through the police department but they are wanting to run the subjects directly. Executive Director Ford told the Prosecutors office that they would have to obtain their own ORI for MULES if they want to do this. Executive Director Ford also sent a letter to the Mayor of Duenweg stating that she needs a letter stating who is “acting Police Chief” for Duenweg Police Department. The Mayor of Duenweg Police Department sent the letter stating that Robert Vice is “acting Police Chief” for now.
The Board agreed that the City should continue to request warrant checks like the other cities do, through their police department.
Radio Concerns
Executive Director Ford advised that she has been working on the radio issues with Carthage Police Chief Dagnan. Executive Director Ford stated that there is clearly a problem with the radios and Ford also had Command One check the consoles and will have Morris and Amon come out and check everything all the way up to the antennas. Amon is going to program all of our radios to the newest updated firmware. Executive Director Ford advised the Board that she will be working with Morris and Amon on this until it is resolved, they will be checking everything. Executive Director Ford advised that it has been a relief to find this issue. Executive Director Ford stated that we have had a dispatchers turn down their speakers and miss traffic but this problem has been consistent on the radio system side. Director Francis advised that his department has had problems with this also and they have found it to be that the officers were not speaking loud enough. Executive Director Ford went over the radio survey sheets that Matt Stoller asked us to complete months ago for every dispatcher, on every shift, 24/7 and she stated that the dispatchers are getting tired of doing these surveys and it doesn’t seem to be serving a purpose. Executive Director Ford has not been advised of any data from these surveys and does not see any improvements because of the surveys, but hears upsets when they forget to fill one out when they are too busy. The survey only give a number of satisfaction with the system and doesn’t specifically target concerns from the field or the center or from the type of equipment, time of the problem, etc. Both Director Wilson and Director Francis stated that enough is enough and that we need to stop the radio surveys if they are not going to be used to fix the problem.
13:18 p.m. Director Harrison motioned to adjourn. Director Stanley seconded the motion. Vote: 4-0. The motion was adopted.
The next Board Meeting is scheduled for Tuesday, April 3rd, 2018 at 12:00 p.m.
On the_________________day of ______________________2018____
I, Carl Francis, Treasurer _____________________________________________certify these Jasper County Emergency Services Board Meeting Minutes for___________________________. They have been reviewed and are accurate.
On the __________day of_____________________2018______
I, Dan Stanley, Director __________________________ attest the Jasper County Emergency Services Board Meeting Minutes for _______________________________. They have been reviewed and are accurate.
