MINUTES
Board of Directors Meeting
Jasper County Emergency Services
December 30th, 2024
Chairman Dagnan called the meeting to order at 12:14 p.m. The meeting was held at the Jasper County Emergency Services Center at 13870 Dispatch Lane Carthage, MO as per public notice. Present in addition to Chairman Dagnan, Director Alvin Peavler, Director Brandy Corum, Director Dan Stanley, Director Bill Hawkins, Director Steve Weaver, and Director Jeremiah Norton.
Representing staff –Executive Director (ED) Lisa McCool-Rataczak, Deputy Director (DD) Brandon McClintock, Operations Manager (OM) Amber Madison, Office Support Clerk Catherine Kho, Quality Assurance Coordinator Ellen Biesemeyer and at 12:17pm Systems Manager Steven Williams.
Representing Public – Alan Talkington with TUSA
Review and Action of Meeting Minutes
Open meeting minutes for December 3rd, 2024, were reviewed.
Director Stanley motioned to approve the open session meeting minutes for December 3rd, 2024. Director Weaver seconded the motion. Vote: 7-0. The motion was adopted.
Public Comment and Correspondence
No public comment.
Financial Report and Payment of Bills
Financial Report and payment of bills prepared and read by ED Rataczak
The sales tax deposit for November was received on December 6th, 2024, in the amount of
$461,313.61. Total bills submitted for approval today: $1,593,629.71. The checkbook balance after payment of bills will be: $38,182.02. Accounts receivable balance: $402.66 (JCSO special details) The Money Market account balance is: $150,000.00. The Sweep Account balance is: $8,183,184.61. The Payroll Account balance is: $1,859.38.
Committee Reports
Chairman Dagnan advised the Board that Carl Junction Police Chief McCall wrote a letter stating that his department will need JASCO to purchase more radios due to additional personnel in his department. The Board discussed and decided for Lisa to send out a letter to all Departments asking them for their current radio needs, with no promise to purchase the radios.
Executive Director and Department Status Report –
ED Rataczak advised the Board that we have revised the cell phone policy for Administration staff. JASCO has issued cell phones to herself, Deputy Director Brandon McClintock, Operations Manager Amber Madison, Systems Manager Steven Williams and a Systems Specialist cell phone. This has saved JASCO money by turning off the Verizon hot spots and monthly stipends for cell phones.
At 12:33pm Systems Specialist Michael Hole joined the meeting.
DD McClintock advised the Board that he has also updated the Training Coordinator position to fall under the Deputy Director instead of the Operations Manager. DD McClintock also advised the Board of training stats and OM Madison advised the Board of Team members promotions. The Board was advised that we will also start a new hiring campaign in January.
Director Corum motioned to approve the policy amendments/addition. Director Norton seconded the motion. Vote: 7-0. The motion was adopted.
Unfinished Business
Countywide Public Safety Radio System
SM Williams advised the Board that we were having voice problems with the new radio, however that has been corrected by purchasing new headsets for the team. MCA will be completing radio installations for the departments. January 6th is the hopeful date for installations. Alan Talkington with TUSA advised that there are some “punch” list items for the towers that still need to be corrected, but nothing major.
Tower Site Updates
SM Williams advised the Board Jake Shields should start this week on the fence around the Sarcoxie tower.
Highway 43 Storage Building
SM Williams stated that the contractor is just waiting for the 1st payment and then he will start 4 weeks after payment. If he receives the payment, then he plans on starting on February 1st, 2025.
New Business
2024 Budget Amendments
ED Rataczak presented the Board with a budget to actual report from QuickBooks. The Board accepted the report as presented.
Director Corum motioned to approve 2024 budget amendment as presented. Director Weaver seconded the motion. Vote: 7-0. The motion was adopted.
Stronghold Data
SM Williams advised the Board that we were able to get the cost down for a password manager software that we can access from outside of the Center with Stronghold Data.
Director Norton motioned to approve the purchase of the password manager that is provided by Stronghold Data. Director Corum seconded the motion. Vote: 7-0. The motion was adopted.
The Board and SM Williams discussed the 9-1-1 outage that occurred on December 19th 2024. Williams explained that it was a spiced cord that AT&T installed. At&t stated that this cord was our recorder, when Williams went to pull the recorder line for the install of the new recorder we quickly realized that this was the cable for our 911 lines. Williams advised the Board that we rerouted our calls to Springfield and had one call that was a 911 hang up that was not processed. RapidSOS advised us of the call and we called back the line and spoke to a resident that accidentally dialed 911. AT&T was advised of the issue immediately and they are scheduled to come out to replace the cable correctly on January 2nd, 2025. We also realized that the lines did not reroute automatically like they should have. We will be speaking with AT&T to discuss this as well.
2025 Proposed Budget
ED Rataczak advised the Board that the 2025 budget is in their packet for review. The Board advised that GL 60420 needed to be corrected. (It had a , in it and it distorted the final budget numbers)
RFP review for Joplin Tower
Alan Talkington with TUSA presented the Board with the information that was received from the two companies that met all of the specs for the RFP. The Board and TUSA discussed several options and the need for inspections, electrical, and studies that would need to be completed as well. The Board also discussed the size of the building that will be needed for this site.
Director Peavler motioned to approve TUSA to enter into negotiations for the final bid from Custom Towers. Director Norton seconded the motion. Vote: 7-0. The motion was adopted.
At 1:29 p.m Director Peavler motioned to go into closed session for the purpose of personnel records. Director Corum seconded the motion. Vote: 7-0. The motion was adopted.
Roll Call Vote:
Dagnan – In Favor
Peavler – In Favor
Corum – In Favor
Stanley – In Favor
Hawkins – In Favor
Weaver – In Favor
Norton – In Favor
At 1:29 pm. All JASCO employees and the public left the meeting.
At 2:27 p.m. Director Corum made a motion to return to open session. Director Norton seconded the motion. Vote: 7-0 the motion was adopted.
At 2:27 pm. ED Rataczak, DD McClintock, OM Madison, SM Williams, and OSC Kho re-joined the meeting.
Roll Call Vote:
Dagnan – In Favor
Peavler – In Favor
Corum – In Favor
Stanley – In Favor
Hawkins – In Favor
Weaver – In Favor
Norton – In Favor
Director Hawkins made a motion to renew the Executive Director Lisa McCool-Rataczak contract for 1 year with the 2024 salary rate. Director Corum seconded the motion. Vote: 7-0 the motion was adopted.
ED Rataczak passed out an amended 2025 budget that had the correction to GL 60420. The Board had no discussion.
Director Corum motioned to accept the 2025 amended budget. Director Weaver seconded the motion. Vote: 7-0. The motion was adopted.
At 2:37 p.m. Director Stanley motioned to adjourn. Director Weaver seconded the motion. Vote: 7-0. The motion was adopted.
Next Board meeting to be held Tuesday February 4th at 12:00 p.m.
On the ________day of ____________2025
I, Brandy Corum, Secretary ___________________________certify these Jasper County Emergency Services Board Meeting Minutes for December 30th, 2024. They have been reviewed and are accurate.
On the ________day of_________________2025
I, Bill Hawkins, Director __________________________ attest the Jasper County Emergency Services Board Meeting Minutes for December 30th, 2024. They have been reviewed and are accurate.
