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HomeMy WebLinkAbout1996 11 06 Minutes Minutes of a Regular Meeting of the Council of Local Govemments in Seminole County November 6, 1996 7:20 p.m. City of Longwood Commission Chambers 175 W. Warren Avenue, Longwood, FL 32750 1. Silent Meditation pledge of Allegiance CALL TO ORDER Chair called meeting to order at 7:20 p.m. 2. ROLL CALL: PRESENT: Commissioner Cindy Gennell, Winter Springs; Commissioner Pat Femandez, Altamonte Springs; Commissioner Gary Brender, Lake Mary; Commissioner Ron Sargent, City of Longwood; and Commissioner Whitey Eckstein, Sanford ABSENT: Commissioner Earl McMullen, Casselberry; Councilman Tom Hagood, Jr., Oviedo; Commissioner Pat Warren, Seminole County; and Board Member Larry Strickler, Seminole County School Board ALSO PRESENT: Fred Blakeley, Solid Waste Division Manager, Seminole County; Fire Chief Paul W. Algeri, City of Casselberry; Geraldine D. Zambri, City Clerk, City of Longwood; and Berlin D. Bosworth, Deputy City Clerk, City of Longwood 3. APPROVAL OF OCTOBER 2,1996 MINUTES Chair Gennell asked members were there to be any changes. ACTION: By consensus, as there were no changes, the Minutes were approved. 4. TREASURER'S REPORT: Commissioner Brender reported a balance of $572.70. Bank charges, which were reported previously, have been reversed but not yet included in the current balance. When the charges are included, the balance will be approximately $600.00. Commissioner Sargent introduced City of Longwood Commissioner Annamarie Vacca, City of Longwood personnel: City Clerk Geri Zambri, Deputy City Clerk Berlin Bosworth, Mayor Bill Winston, City Administrator Shelton Smith, Fire Chief Charles Chapman, Nelda Pryor, President of the City of Longwood Historic Preservation Committee, and Fred Blakeley, Seminole County. 5. PROGRAM: A) Ambulance Update, City of Lmgwood Fire Chief Charles Chapman Commissioner Sargent noted Seminole County had also been invited to send a representative to discuss the ambulance update. Longwood Fire Chief Charles Chapman acknowledged the County had sent information which he would include in his report. Chief Chapman presented a brief update on the Fire Department versus private ambulance transport situation. He has been Fire Chief 18 of the 30 years he has been with the City of Longwood Fire Department. In the 1960s, fire Minutes of a Regular Meeting of the Council of Local Govemments in Seminole County November 6, 1996 Page 2 departments were manned by volunteers, except the City of Sanford; Emergency Medical Services (EMS) was non-existent. Funeral homes were the only ones which provided transport. In the 1970s, the County Fire Department was consolidated from a number of volunteer organizations from around the County. Most departments, during the beginning of the decade, started hiring some paid personnel. EMS was in its infancy. A two-tier system was established -- the public sector providing first response and some level of care, and the private sector providing transport. There was very little control over the system at that time. The situation being faced today began at that time. What was being looked at was not something that came up last year, it was not something thought up in 1995. In the 1980s, Seminole County was not a choice area to have an ambulance as there was not enough population. For most of the 1980s there were only two ambulances in Seminole County, one was run out of the Casselberry area and the other out of the Sanford area. One had to wait quite some time before help would arrive. At that time the County was paying the private sector provider a substantial subsidy. In 1987, Rural Metro got a County contract, but did not get a subSidy. The City of Longwood got its first ambulance in the early 1980s. Most fire departments found a need to provide an ambulance in order to back up private service. The private ambulance service had five different owners over the six years of its contract. In the 1990s the private ambulance provided two units in the sanford area, one out on the Redbug/ T uskawilla area, one at their main office in the south end of Longwood, and another out in the West Altamonte area. The City of Casselberry Fire Department saw an opportunity back in 1989-1990 and went into the transport business. Commissioner Sargent asked if the ambulances the fire departments had on hand were transporting or just responding and then waiting for the private ambulance to arrive to do the transporting.. Fire Chief Chapman replied most cities which had ambulances, passed an ordinance which contained very strict guidelines of when fire departments could and could not transport. If the private ambulance was not available and it was absolutely a life threatening emergency and! or if it was a city employee or their family member, then the fire departments would be allowed to transport. The reason fire departments acquired ambulances was because of the number of times which occurred when no private transport was available and the fire departments had to do something. Commissioner Femandez noted Altamonte Springs bought its first ambulance when the two ambulances were stationed in Sanford and the other in Casselberry, though Altamonte Springs and Longwood had the largest populations in the County, and it took a long time to get the private provider ambulance. Commissioner Bender inquired if Fire Chief Chapman had current data with respect to current response times for private versus public sector, how many units wee available, and how many times do fire departments experience when private ambulance service was not available. Fire Chief Chapman stated he did not have that information in detail; it depended upon the jurisdiction. He would respond to that question later in his presentation. Continuing his update report: the Fire Chiefs of Seminole County formed an Executive Group with the intent to discuss common problems, look for solutions, and do the best they could with what they have. The fire department units which came into place were to support the five private sector ambulance locations. The Fire Chiefs agreed the entire system needed to be reviewed. In 1995 the Executive Group formed an EMS Sub-Group with direction to examine the current system, look at what was being done and who was doing it, look at all altematives which could be generated and all pros and cons for those altematives, and retum with a statement of what would be best for all the citizens of Seminole County. The EMS Sub-Group's findings stated the fire departments were already providing dispatch--not only to the fire department units but the private units; fire departments were providing first response. Calls to 911 come in to the fire departments and they respond with units to take care of the sick and injured. Fire departments were training all EMPs in the County. Every time a patient had something seriously wrong with them, the fire department medics had to supplement the private sector ambulance personnel because of State requirements. Fire departments were doing everything but the actual act of transporting and the billing. The EMS Sub-Group recommendations included dissolving the two-tier system, going to a Single tier system, and that fire departments providing 911 transport. In 1996, four cities in the southem part of Seminole County joined Casselberry in the transport business. January 1, Oviedo; January 15, Winter Springs; City of Longwood, February 15; and March 15, Altamonte Springs. Since January 1996, the four cities have transported over 2600 patients; the fire departments have billed over $650,000, of which over $350,000 has been collected. Based on those numbersnon the 2600 and the average charge of transport that would have Minutes of a Regular Meeting of the Council of Local Governments in Seminole County November 6, 1996 Page 3 been incurred by the private ambulance transport provider--fire departments have saved over $200,000 that those 2600 individuals would not be billed. That was a direct saving to those citizens. At> it stands currently, Seminole County, Sanford, and Lake Mary still use the private provider. Seminole County was providing Lake Mary with EMS at this time. The County's Project Review Committee recommended on October 30, 1996 that the County Fire Department get into the transport business and that hospitals be issued their Certificate of Need and Necessity to allow them to do their own inter-facility transfers. The County will take the recommendation under advisement on their agenda at their November 26 meeting. Sanford has stated they were not in a position to enter into the transport business at this time. Lake Mary was looking at the possibility of providing their own EMS, with transport as a possible future option. Benefits derived from fire departments being in the transport business included continuity of care, reduced number of units responding, every major intersection traffic light would soon have the opt;corn system installed on them, which would enable fire departments to capture the light, thereby increasing the safety of both fire fighters and citizens. In conclusion, this evolution started in the 1970s, and what was in existence today was the natural progression of that. The system does work. The Fire Chiefs Executive Group and their Sub-Groups constantly review what the fire departments do to improve the efficiency and effective of service with the intent of building the best system to take Seminole County residents into the future of managed medical care. The evolution of EMS would continue. The City of Longwood Fire Department has transported almost 600 individuals with its one unit since February 15, 1996, and perhaps up to 15 had to be transported by the private sector or another fire department. If those who have to be transported by private provider ambulance became a big large number to justify additional manpower and units, it would be addressed. Commissioner Eckstein asked how it would be addressed. Fire Chief Chapman responded whatever it took. Commissioner Eckstein stated he would have to go to his Commission. Fire Chief Chapman replied he did everything through his commission. Commissioner Eckstein pointed out he did not see any negatives. The capital expenditure, down the road, would be quite expensive. For example, a tower truck was over $500,000; just to keep up with normal needs. Right now, it was working great, but if the private sector was removed, capital budgets would increase over the next few years. Fire Chief Chapman noted his capital budget had increased every year he has been with the Fire Department. Commissioner Eckstein did not think the money captured by patient transport would pay for the capital equipment outlay. Capital expenditure money would have to come from the taxpayer. Fire Chief Chapman agreed. There was only a certain number of people in the County who would need to be transported regardless of who did the transporting. There were "x" number of people who would need that service. What the fire departments have done would not increase or decrease that number. No one was saying the money generated from transporting patients by fire departments would offset the running of a fire department. For example, the City of Longwood's ambulance was over 10 years old and needed to be replaced. The Fire Department would help offset the cost of that new ambulance through revenue from transporting. The Fire Department would still do the same amount of work it was doing, require the same number of personnel, but instead of a private contractor taking that money for transporting and buying their new unit and paying their people, the money would be put back into the City. Commissioner Eckstein was as yet not convinced. Commissioner Fernandez asked if all Longwood Fire Department paramedics were also fire fighters. Fire Chief Chapman stated that was correct. Minutes of a Regular Meeting of the Council of Local Govemments in Seminole County November 6, 1996 Page 4 Commissioner Femandez pointed out a certain number of personnel needed to be maintained for an Insurance Service Office (ISO) rating. If the City of Sanford was trying to attract more business, Sanford could buy three new ambulances for what it would save one large corporation in its annual insurance premiums by lowering, for example, the ISO rating from 5 go 3. In order to keep the ISO at a certain level one's fire department had to have a certain number of personnel available at all times. The ISO rating determined what one paid on their homeowners/fire insurance. Fire Chief Chapman explained the ISO was a rating company with local offices in Jacksonville. A number of insurance companies use the ISO rating as a part of a formula to calculate insurance premiums for homes and businesses. The lower the ISO number, the better the insurance rating. The City of Longwood's ISO rating was 4. Commissioner Femandez stated when Altamonte Springs figured their costs of getting into the ambulance business, the city assumed a collection rate of only 60 percent. It was running much better than that. Altamonte Springs charged a flat rate of $200 within the city and $250 if they lived outside the city. These charges do not reach the Medicare ceiling of cost. If the individual has to be transported more than five miles, the city picked up a mileage charge. Medicare liked the city's program because they were saving money; the citizens should not have any out-of-pocket expense. Fire Chief Chapman explained the City of Longwood charged a flat fee of $211. Based on what was in place and what additional was needed to do that part of the job--transporting patients and billing them--that was what would be used to offset ambulance provided services. Commissioner Sargent understood the City of Longwood Fire Department, prior to transporting, still responded to every 911 call. The fire personnel were on the scene, why should they not transport the individual, and be paid for that. Fire Chief Chapman said that was correct. The Longwood Fire Department ran over 3000 calls last year of which 65170 percent, or over 1950, was EMS-related. Fire personnel was already doing everything except the transport. Commissioner Brender explained he would have to look at the numbers. If a new ambulance had to be purchased every seven years, he wondered if the City of Lake Mary might not be better off letting the private sector do the transport. Fire Chief Chapman said it was the taxpayers he was transporting, whether they were paying it in taxes, as in Casselberry, or paying a user fee, such as in the City of Longwood. With the exception of Casselberry, it has been a user-fee system. Casselberry has a separate tax in place for this service. The City of Longwood fee was calculated so that the cost of providing this service would not be bome by the taxpayer who does not use the system. Commissioner Gennell apprised members that the City of Winter Springs developed its figures with the Commission adamant that revenue generated be enough to cover the replacement cost of equipment. The billing accommodated the current equipment the Rescue Unit owned. Winter Springs assumed ownership of the current equipment; the charge was set to have enough to fund the purchase of new equipment at the end of its lifetime. The fee did not account for the need of additional equipment, only the replacement of currently-owned equipment. The existing ambulance would have to be replaced eventually, and the money would have had to come from General Fund monies. Now the transport fee would ensure the replacement cost. Fire Chief Chapman stated that was the approach of the City of Longwood. Commissioner Gennell inquired about the number of members of the Fire Chiefs Association. Fire Chief Chapman replied all seven cities in the County. Commissioner Gennell asked if the County Fire Chief was included in this group. Fire Chief Chapman said absolutely. Minutes of a Regular Meeting of the Council of Local Govemments in Seminole County November 6, 1996 Page 5 Commissioner Gennell asked who chaired the Group. Fire Chief Chapman stated they did not have a chair; the Group used the consensus-building model. Commissioner Gennell asked who the fire departments called to do transporting if someone died at the scene. Fire Chief Chapman answered it was usually the funeral home or the Coroner's Office, depending on the circumstances. Dr. Brown has placed very strict guidelines on fire department personnel on what we could call "obviously dead." Generally, at that point it was transferred hom a fire department problem to a police department problem and the police would either call the Coroner or the funeral home, depending upon the circumstances surrounding the event. Commissioner Gennell stated her concem about how this issue evolved and would have preferred, in the case of her City Commission, if they had been given this kind of background briefing on transporting so they could have knowledgeably addressed the issue. Fire Chief Chapman explained the Fire Chiefs Executive Group wanted it to be a County-wide system. In the initial EMS study, the private contractor was included in the EMS Sub-Group, as they were and are a viable part of EMS. TIle Fire Chiefs wanted to look at the systen1; if it was right the way it was, leave it alone, if not, make it right. By the time the Fire Chiefs Executive Group received the Sub-Group's report, intense lobbying had begun on behalf of the private provider. All eight members of the Executive Group intended to hold a series of meetings with each city's Commission to update them of the Group's findings and to receive each Commission's input. COlllmissioner Gennell thought the overall consensus was that the citizens were most happy with this arrangement and the citizens were ultimately the ones paying the bills. Commissioner Fernandez noted she was constantly asked to do something about citizens' ambulance bills. The publicity about the average cost being $325 was incorrect. The cheapest ambulance bill she had seen from the private provider was $450. Commissioner Gennell asked Casselberry Fire Chief Paul W. Algeri if Casselberry's tax was by referendum. Fire Chief Algeri stated Casselberry's situation was quite different. Casselberry's decision to provide ambulance transporting was not a business decision, it was a service-oriented decision. This was one of the highest priorities of quality 0/ life that the Fire Department could really work with. Fire departments were the first responders on every call. What Casselberry found was that continuity of care was of primary concem of its citizens. The referendum vote was astoundingly in favor and Casselberry received a 1.25 separate millage on an ad valorem indefinitely. The City has the authority to go as high as 1.69. Casselberry was currently well below 1.25, at about 1.19. Casselberry has a fund balance carryover so it does not need to receive the 1.25. Casselberry does not look at how many people who are not paying are receiving the service. Commissioner Gennell inquired if fire calls, in general, within the past 15 years, as far as fire emergencies, have diminished. Fire Chief Algeri said absolutely. He stated he was proud of the fact the fire department responded to fewer fires. The fire load has gone down so that with ambulance transport there can be maximum utilization of personnel. Fire Chief Chapman pointed out fire departments have been taking on additional duties besides EMS to fill that gap. B) Landfill Update Presentation by: Fred Blakeley, Solid Waste Division Manager, Seminole County Mr. Blakeley mentioned he had a 20-minute video showing pre-1988 operations and post-1998 operations and asked for the courtesy to retum and show the Council members the video. He briefly touched on his background and history of Minutes of a Regular Meeting of the Council of Local Govemments in Seminole County November 6, 1996 Page 6 employment with the County of Seminole. In December 1994 the County Commissioners decided to look at the possibility of privatization to ascertain a public/private cost comparison. An RFP (Request for Proposals) was generated and received Board approval to put out the RFP to receive proposals in early 1996. The Solid Waste Division came in with the lowest bid. Solid Waste Division has held meetings with the Board to explain how it arrived at its numbers in the proposal. The other proposers were allowed to review Solid Waste Division's proposal and respond. The landfill had another 40+ years of life. It was probably the most valuable asset Seminole County owned. Commissioner Gennell asked if the 40 year life included future growth projections. Mr. Blakeley said yes. Theoretically, if the Solid Waste Division was awarded the contract, rates would not be able to be raised for three years. The contract would be for five years, but was cancelable in three by the Board. Commissioner Eckstein pointed out tipping fees changed the entire Enterprise structure. Commissioners would like planning of the Enterprise Fund out. The past several years that could not be done. Commissioner Gennell asked how this changed with the County running it themselves. Mr. Blakeley explained a private firm could only come in as a subcontractor to the County; only doing the management of the operation. They would be doing the day-to-day operation of the landfill, they would do the transfer of the solid waste. The County would retain management control. Seminole County was approximately $12/ton below the State average; the average in the State was $48/ton, Seminole County was at $36/ton. Last year Seminole County handled 280,000 tons. Solid Waste Division was an Enterprise Fund, getting no tax dollars, its a user fee. Citizens pay about $160/year of which the County gets $40 for disposal, with $120 going to private firms for collection. Haulers would get an increase this year; the County did not put in for an increase. Commissioner Eckstein requested Seminole County not haul in from other counties. Commissioner Gennell inquired why the County went out for RFPs. Mr. Blakeley reported the County wanted to compare Solid Waste Division's cost to ensure the citizens of the County were getting their dollar's worth. The County Board was meeting on November 14 and hopefully would make a determination. Mr. Stanley Stevens informed the Council that all private firms approached the County, the County had not gone out searching for them. ACTION: Commissioner Gennell said the Council would agendize Mr. Blakeley on a future agenda so that he could show the video. 6. Unfinished Business A) Appointment of Alternative CALNO Representatives Commissioner Gennell stated that was done within the By-law changes. ACTION: It was the consensus of the Council to appoint the Alternative CALNO representatives at their January 1997 meeting. Commissioner Femandez stated she has been asked who was the current CALNO representative to the Tourist Development Council (TDC). Commissioner Gennell acknowledged she was the appointed member. Minutes of a Regular Meeting of the Council of Local Governments in Seminole County November 6, 1996 Page 7 Commissioner Fernandez noted the TDC December meeting was still scheduled. Commissioner Gennell said if the Alternates want to attend the CALNO meetings, that was fine. They would not get to address the issues. Her City Clerk has been instructed to make sure the CALNO meetings get in the newspaper. Commissioner Fernandez asked if Commissioner Gennell's City Clerk would fax the agenda to each city so they could post it. ACTION: There being consensus, Commissioner Gennell said she would infonn her Clerk to fax the monthly agenda for posting to all Clerks who have a Commissioner as a member of CALNO. B) Update on Technical Telecommunications Committee Progress Commissioner Gennell presented a brief report on the Program. A meeting was held, but only staff attended; there was not a Single industry representative at the meeting. The Council had specifically requested staff work with the industry. Commissioner Eckstein noted last week's Time magazine had an article which talked about the controversy surrounding this issue and asked each Commissioner to read the article. Commissioner Brender insisted staff be requested to get the industry involved, that the industry and staff work together to create this. Commissioner Gennell requested permission to draft a letter to staff restating the request. Commissioner Sargent thought that a good idea. Commissioner Gennell asked what was the consensus of the Council. ACTION: There being concurrence, Commissioner Gennell will ensure a letter was sent to Mr. Simmons asking when the next meeting was and be sure to include the industry in the next meeting. C) Approval of Amended CALNO By-Laws dated 10-02-96 Commissioner Gennell asked if there were any objections to the changes. ACTION: By consensus, the Council approved the Amended By-Laws dated November 2, 1996. 7. New Business None. 8. Reports from Members Winter Springs ..................... Commissioner Cindy Gennell Commissioner Gennell reported she had won re-election. The Winter Springs Arts Festival will be held December 7 and 8. The Rotary Club donated $2,500, the City put in $2,500 which a TV channel wouldl match to do advertising for the event. Winter Springs' Christmas Parade will be the Sunday preceding Thanksgiving. Altamonte Spring ................... Commissioner Pat Fernandez Commissioner Fernandez reported Altamonte Springs said goodbye to its Fire Chief this week. People were starting to use Lake Lotus Park. There will be a number of on-going events at Crane's Roost. Minutes of a Regular Meeting of the Council of Local Govemments in Seminole County November 6, 1996 Page 8 Lake Mary . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .. Commissioner Gary Brender Commissioner Brender reported Lake Mary had the ground breaking ceremony for Bell South two weeks ago. HTE was well underway at the Heathrow Intemational Business site. The Homeward Suites and Hilton Garden Hotels were coming before Lake Mary P&Z Board for Northpoint and Primeria.. Lake Mary was still dealing with high water/low water issues. Longwood . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .. Commissioner Ron Sargent Commissioner Sargent reported he and Commissioner Vacca were re-elected and the City of Longwood welcomed its newest City Commissioner, Rusty Miles. The Longwood Arts & Crafts Festival would be held on Saturday and Sunday, November 23 and 24. The Christmas Tree Lighting would be held on December 7. Sanford Commissioner ............... Whitey Eckstein Commissioner Eckstein reported the Sanford Chamber of Commerce was having its Bass FishingT ournament this weekend. The Commissioners approved refurbishing the baseball stadium. Tim Raines would be the Grand Marshall at the Homecoming Parade. Sanford's Christmas Parade, Sell Fest, and GumBay would all be held the same weekend. Casselberry . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .. Commissioner Earl McMullen Not present. Oviedo ........................... Councilman Tom Hagood, Jr. Not present. Seminole County Commission . . . . . . . . .. Commissioner Pat Warren Not present. Seminole County School Board . . . . . . . .. Board Member Larry Strickler Non present. ADJOURNMENT at 9:00 p.m. to the next regularly scheduled meeting on Wednesday, December 4, 1996 in the City of Sanford, Florida at 7:00 p.m. Respectfully submitted, 0~ J ~,tkf~ Berlin D. Bosworth, Deputy City Clerk, City of Longwood, FL [BB\C:\WP51 \CALNO\MINUTE S\11-06-96.MIN]