03-24-1993 Joint Meeting MinutesSTATE OF MN The City Council of the City of
COUNTY OF WRIGHT Otsego and the City Council of
CITY OF OTSEGO the City of Albertville held a
joint meeting this 24 day of March,
1993, at 730 PM in the Albertville City Hall. Present from
Albertville were Mayor Mike Potter, Council Members Sharon
Anderson, Daune Berning, Albert Barthel and John Vetsch, and
Clerk Linda Houghton.
Present from Otsego were Mayor Norman F. Freske, Council
Members, Doug Lindenfelser, Floyd Roden, Larry Fournier and
Ron Black, Clerk Jerome Perrault and Deputy Clerk/Zoning
Administrator Elaine Beatty.
The meeting was called to order by Mayor Mike Potter.
The purpose of the meeting was to discuss the contract by
which the City of Albertville has provided fire department
and rescue squad service to part of Otsego and was terminated
December 31, 1991.
Mr. Potter asked the Otsego Council what they were
looking for in a contract.
Doug Lindenfelser said that we do have a lot of
concerned citizens in Otsego that live close to Albertville.
Cost was the factor in that Monticello would give us service
for $25.00 a unit and Albertville was asking for a contract
price of $27,588.37 for the year 1992 (amounting to $65.00
per unit) and would not negotiate.
Mike Potter said that Monticello's contract price was
the cheapest in the whole County and it was difficult for
Albertville to compete with them.
Norman F. Freske said Otsego's concern was the capital
expenses of the future (5 to 10 years away) that were
included in the contract price. He said if a building was
built or equipment purchased at this time, Otsego would be
willing to pay it's share based on a depreciation schedule
but did not belive they should be contributing to a fund
being set aside for future needs for equipment and buildings
they will not be part owner of.
Ron Black said another concern was the lack of an exact
accounting on the contract billing.
Mike Potter admitted that in the past, Albertville has
not kept up an accounting for the depreciation of it's
equipment and was trying to correct this.
Ron Black asked what the Albertville Council's opinion
was of having a joint fire department with part of Otsego.
Mike Potter replied that as of right now we don't even have a
contract. Ron Black said he knew of an area where 3 cities
had a joint fire department.
Mike Potter agreed that it was not inconceivable some
time in the future to have a joint fire department.
Ron Black said values could be placed on existing
equipment as a starting point in getting the joint fire
department started.
Floyd Roden said the reason for a joint fire department
is the capital expenses, it would spread this cost over a
larger area.
OTSEGO CITY COUNCIL AND ALBERTVILLE CITY COUNCIL MEETING OF
MARCH 24, 1993. Page 2
Ron Black said that we need to think in terms of long
range solutions, if you just want to talk contract then give
us a figure.
Larry Fournier said he could see an advantage for a
short term contract because of the proximity of Otsego to
Albertville.
Doug Lindenfelser said he feels a Fire Board, with
representatives from Albertville, Otsego and Frankfort should
be set up. This could be a first step in organizing a joint
fire department.
Mike Potter said the reason we included capital expenses
in the contract price is the future expenses we are faced
with.
John Vetsch commented that area wise the East end of
Otsego is quite far from Albertville.
Doug Lindenfelser said that Otsego would probably be
divided into Districts according to response time and the
East end would continue to be served by the Elk River Fire
Department.
' Larry Fournier said he would like to see a committee set
up of both Otsego and Albertville residents to work on both a
long and short term solution.
Ron Black said if a fire board is set up, then they
determine the needs of the fire department and not the
respective Councils. He also said that rumors are
circulating that Elk River is considering building a
satellite fire station in Otsego sometime in the future,
Norman F. Freske said that with a Fire Board it would be
easier to plan ahead for equipment needs.
Ron Black and Larry Fournier volunteered to serve on a
Committee to plan for a Fire Board and other future plans.
Frankfort Township would also be included on the Committee
and on the Fire Board.
John Vetsch questioned where the joint fire station
would be located. Floyd Roden said it would need to be
located in Albertville where City water and sewer are
available.
Mike Potter said that we have now provided for long
range planning what about short range,
Norman F. Freske said the Committee should handle that
also.
One Otsego resident said we are concerned about right
now, that we don't have adequate service right now for the 37
homes in Otsego that are South of the freeway.
Ron Black said that the Otsego Council will consider a
proposal from the Albertville Council to take care of that
area.
Mrs. Gary Meyer said they have canvassed the area South
of the freeway and most want Albertville service, even at
additional cost. Boundary lines for service areas would have
to ba drawn as you can not have service all over the place.
CITIES OF OTSEGO AND ALBERTVILLE JOINT MEETING OF MARCH 24,
1993. Page 3
Residents of Otsego should notify the City Hall if they
want fire department rescue squad service from Albertville so
that a determination can be made as to where the boundaries
will be drawn.
Albertville Fire Chief David Vetsch said he had talked
to several people and a joint fire department will not be
cheaper to operate.
Sergeant Rollie Helgeson, of the Wright Co. Sheriff
Department, said that just because you call 911 doesn't make
the fire department or ambulance get there any faster. The
advantage is when you call 911 any where in the State, you
know you will get service. Contrary to what some people
think, Wright County still does not have the enchanced 911
system. When the Dispatcher takes your call and you give him
your address, he will dispatch the fire department, or
ambulance according to the service area you live in.
Gary Meyer asked what happens if the call comes in and
the Buffalo Ambulance is already out. He said Buffalo calls
the Dispatcher if they know their ambulance will be out and
then the Dispatcher will call the Monticello ambulance until
Buffalo notifies the Dispatcher that they have returned. The
Monticello Ambulance will do the same if they know they are
going to be out and have the Dispatcher call Buffalo.
Monticello does not send out the rescue squad on medical
calls, only the ambulance, crews are better trained and can
transport people.
Bernard Roden asked if patrol cars carry oxygen. Mr.
Helgeson said that the did and Deputies are all trained in
first response.
Gary Meyer asked what was a reasonable response time.
Mr. Helgeson said a lot of things enter in, mostly safety
issues, as even with a siren and flashing lights you can not
drive at a speed that endangers people's lives.
Mr. Helgeson said it was up to the communities to set
the service. boundaries and you can not keep changing them and
expect the Dispatcher to keep up.
Mike Potter asked Mr. Helgeson about the report that
Albertville was refusing mutual aid calls. Mr. Helgeson said
a call could come in from someone asking for service
from Albertville and not live in the Albertville service
area. In this case the Dispatcher would send out the fire
department or ambulance assigned to the area. Mutual aid can
only be requested by one fire department to another, and not
by the Dispatcher.
Albertville will assign 2 people to serve on the
committee to work on short and long range fire department
planning and Frankfort Township will be asked to do the same.
Otsego residents who want Albertville fire department and
rescue squad service should notify the Otsego City Hall.
On motion the meeting adjourned.
CITIES OF OTSEGO AND ALBERTVILLE JOINT MEETING OF MARCH 24,
1993. Page 4
, NORMAN F. FRESKE, MAYOR
, DOUG LINDENFELSER, COUNCIL
, FLOYD RODEN, COUNCIL
, LARRY FOURNIER, COUNCIL
, RON BLACK, COUNCIL
Attest: Jerome Perrault, Clerk
JP/jeh