CITY OF SANTA FE SPECIAL MEETING SANTA FE CITY COUNCIL AUGUST 22, 2024 6:00 P.M. COUNCIL CHAMBERS 12002 HWY.6, SANTA FE, TEXAS MINUTES The meeting was called to order at 6:00 p.m. by Mayor Brandon Noto. Roll Call: Present: Mayor Brandon Noto Mayor Pro Tem Ronald "Bubba" Jannett Councilmember Rusty Schroeder Councilmember John Dickerson Councilmember Dana Marks Councilmember Ryan McCamy, excused Absent: Business: Fire and Rescue dispatching services. 1. Consideration and possible action: Dispatching services provided by the of Santa Mayor Noto let Council know that Tim Campbell and David Brinkley for the Galveston City Fe to Santa Fe has Communication District (911 District) were in attendance to address any questions the County Council Emergency about Fire Chief Chris Anderson and Deputy Chief Anthony Pearson from the Santa Fe Fire and also in attendance. Chief Anderson said he would like the dispatching services to to have dispatchers that were Emergency Medical Dispatch the City to eventually have these types of dispatchers and software. right thing to do. He noted that SFFR is ini the process of purchasing which he asserts will significantly reduce the effort thati it takes to detail how that work process would function. Rescue (SFFD) were that SFFD did not request would like to work with to change, as it is the to allow for its calls to be (what he called "silent dispatching"), decision made would have to be what is right for the SFFR budget. Chief Anderson stay said within the city however, the required, and is not considered as essential by SFFD. He then (EMD) addressed certified, as that certification is not legally would be needed for EMD dispatchers, saying that, int time with the growth oft the the cost SFFR of software and training that dispatching services provided to it by the City. Chief Anderson said Currently, he is SFFR is content with the quality of dispatching from the City for at least the last 40 years at no cost, and agreed that aware that that needs the SFFR has received city, dispatched without the needi for the dispatchers tos speak on or listent tot equipmentisoftware the radio dispatch a call. Chief Anderson explained in some Tim Cambell and David Brinkley addressed all the concerns of and questions from the Council Mayor Noto said that he and Chief Anderson had met previously, outside of a Councilmember Marks countered Mayor Noto'si recommendations. and said that he times, transfer speeds, and the 911 District's technical capabilities. regarding call taking proposed agreement, and briefed Council on the shared recommendations that public had meeting, to discuss the He distributed a copy of the proposal to each Councilmember to review as he has prepared a written proposal. they discussed. presented his recommendations. Minutes (cont.) 8/22/2024 Page 2of2 Councimember Marks and Councilmember Jannett said that theyt felt that the City staffs proposed counteroffer for dispatching services is too expensive, as the dispatchers do not need to be EMD certified, will still be employees of the City, and will not exclusively handle Emergency Medical Service (EMS), and Fire and Rescue calls. wished to establish a dollar amount for the contract, rather than tying the cost to a certain employee or employees, They There was a lengthy discussion about the number of calls received for EMS and Fire and Rescue. Alun Thomas explained that the call for service volume for EMS and Fire and Rescue is lower than City for the Manager Police Department (approximately 3,000 versus 14,000 per year), however, these calls consume more time much greater effort from the City's dispatchers. Additionally, "calls for service" is not the same as an and require telephone call; officers ensuring that doors are locked on a business in the middle of the night count as a incoming "call for service," in dispatching terminology, he said, which significantly increases the number of police calls. Councilmember Marks said that approximately half of the calls for SFFR are for residents oft the which means that only approximately 9% of the total number of calls for service for the benefit of SFFR but not for the City's own taxpayers. Based on this percentage, currently he tot the ESD for the City dispatching SFFR units should be 9% oft the current annual the supervisor) of $251,885, or approximately $23,000 annually, and should not include dispatch costs. Noting that SFFR purchased radios for dispatch recently, he said that that both given that the SFFR would not have direct control over any City employee. handled City of Santa Fe, by the City are proposed salaries that the cost (not counting equipment or overhead $47,000 cost for those radios should be credited against the ESD's FY 2025 and FY 2026 Years 2027, 2028, and 2029, the payment would be $23,000. payments, When reducing them to zero. Then, for Fiscal dollar amount over time to help keep up with expected inflation and questioned about the need to increase the adjustment should be made at al later time and should begin in FY 2030. pay raises, Councilmember Marks said that any Chief Anderson said that the payment would bei in addition to SFFR's previous offer to include Such training would be, fore each fiscal year oft the agreement, the ESD at its paying fire dispatch training. expense for two (2) dispatchers to each attend a weeklong fire dispatch dispatchers attending the training. transportation, meals for the dispatchers training course. Such training expense also includes the cost of ESD of the full cost of the City's overtime attending the training, hotel accommodations, and reimbursement by the expenses resulting from the City's need to cover the absence(s) of the Following further discussion, there was a motion by Councilmember Jannett, seconded toa approve an agreement that has the ESD paying $28,000 per year for fiscal providing for the training oft two dispatchers per year at a weeklong fire dispatch years expenses resulting from the City's need to cover the absence(s) of the dispatchers 2024-2025 by Councilmember Marks, attending the training. The motion and 2025-2026, and the City's overtime oftransportation, meals, hotel accommodations, and reimbursement by the ESD oft training the full course, cost oft including the cost passed the roll call vote unanimously. Motion by Councimember Jannett to adjourn. The motion passed and the meeting adjourned at 6:58 p.m. ATTEST: BB6 BRANDONN NOTO, MAYOR Amett, City Secretary Jt