Rochester Hills Legistar System

A motion was made by Barnett, seconded by Eble, that this matter be Approved.

Resolved that the Public Safety Committee revise the dates of their remaining

regularly scheduled meetings for 2005 to be as follows:

May, 9, 2005

June 6, 2005

July 11, 2005

August 8, 2005

No September meeting unless needed

October 3, 2005

November 14, 2005

December 5, 2005

The motion carried by the following vote:

Discuss Survey to Municipal Fire Departments

Compiled Survey Responses.pdf; Survey List - Municipal Fire Depts.pdf;

Response letter to Fire Chiefs.pdf; Auburn Hills FD Survey.pdf; Brandon

Twp FD Survey.pdf; Chesterfield Twp FD Survey.pdf; Farmington Hills FD

Survey.pdf; Independence Twp FD Survey.pd

Final Draft Survey

The Committee reviewed the revisions that were made to the final draft survey. The

consensus was to have the "due date" be May 5, 2005. The Committee requested that

the Clerk's staff will compile the responses as soon as they are all received.

The Committee also reviewed the list of municipalities to which the survey will be sent.

The consensus was to eliminate the following municipalities because they are well

established "full-time" fire departments and not a true comparison of "combination" fire

departments such as Rochester Hills:

* City of Ferndale

* City of Madison Heights

* City of Sterling Heights

* City of Warren

* West Bloomfield Township

Discussion regarding Police Millages

050905 Supplmtl Info - Memo Jenuwine - 3 scenarios.pdf; 033105 Memo

Jenuwine.pdf; 2005 - OCSD Millage Analysis.pdf; 2005 - OCSD Millage

Analysis R&E.pdf

As requested by the Committee, Ms. Jenuwine, Finance Director, provided financial

information regarding the Police millages and the General Fund subsidy to the Special

Police Fund concerning two (2) questions:

* Question 1 - What are the millage amounts [for both Police millages] and when are

they due to expire?

Currently, there are two (2) Police millages. The first millage (Police Millage I),

currently levied at 0.7942, began December 1994 to generate revenue in Fiscal Year

1995 for twenty (20) years through Fiscal Year 2014. The second millage (Police

Millage II), currently levied at 0.4326, began in December 2002 to general revenue in

Fiscal Year 2003 for five (5) years through Fiscal Year 2007. The two (2) millages total

a levy of 1.2268 mills.

* Question 2 - What would be needed at a minimum to eliminate the General Fund

subsidy?

The current levy equals approximately $2.5 million dollars transferred from General

Fund. Based on several assumptions going forward including staying with the current

58 deputies, the best projection is that nine-tenths (9/10) of a mill would be needed to

reach 2.1168 mills assuming that the second millage (due to expire in 2007) would be

renewed.

The Committee commenced discussion regarding a millage request which included the

following points:

* Since the second millage will expire in 2007, it is recommended to try for a renewal

during 2006 in order to provide a cushion in case it fails. Consideration should be given

to simplifying the millage name and consolidating the levy to include some type of

growth projections if warranted.

* A major portion of a millage request is the public campaign which entails about six (6)

to eight (8) months of presenting the financial needs and services to the public through

various communication tools.

* Consideration should be given to forming either a citizen committee or administrative

committee or utilizing a consultant.

* Police protection is unique and a separate millage may be marketable to the public.

However, historically, the residents have not passed millages.

The Committee briefly discussed the other millages that may come forward in November

2005. They also requested that Ms. Jenuwine provide the following financial scenarios

for the next Public Safety Committee Meeting:

1. Combine Police Millage I and II and keep the current level of officers, which is at

fifty-eight (58) through 2014

2. Combine Police Millage I and II and add one (1) deputy per year from 2006

through 2014

Capt. Smith briefly discussed two (2) fatal car accidents that were totally unrelated and

occurred within 20 minutes of each other in Lapeer County. They claimed the lives of

nine (9) young people. Mr. Roscoe commented that one victim was a student at

Rochester High School.

The Committee briefly discussed programs at the schools in prior years regarding

alcohol-related driving fatalities.

Mr. Eble noted that he disposed of questionable paraphernalia discovered in the parking

lot that accesses the Paint Creek Trail off Tienken Road. Capt. Smith will forward the

information to the deputies.

The Committee discussed a False Alarm Ordinance and made the following points:

* There was a presentation made at a City Council Work Session on March 31, 2004 by

Mr. Dan Clark, former False Alarm Officer for the City of Troy.

* An ordinance would also require accurate record keeping for complete "due process"

as well as working with citizens and businesses to educate them, etc. It is very likely

that within three (3) years, a False Alarm Ordinance program would bring in surplus

funds which would not only offset administrative costs, but reduce false alarm calls and

free up police resources for other needed services.

* There could be a separate line-item in the budget for financial tracking purposes.

* There are "boiler-plate" programs being used that are successful and self-funding.

* The ordinance could contain a fine schedule that increases if false alarms are

repeated at the same address.

* In 2004, seventeen percent (17%) of the call load at Rochester Hills sub station was

alarms. Statically, over 99% of alarms nationally are false alarms.

* As more homes are built, the number of alarm calls will grow. Alarm companies

simply want to sell alarms.

Mr. Lee Zendel, 1575 Dutton Road, commented that the City of Farmington Hills has

budgeted $90,000 as false alarm fees in the 2006 budget.

The Committee consensus was to continue this discussion at the next Public Safety

Committee meeting.

Chief Crowell distributed a memo dated March 30, 2005 and briefly discussed his

suggestions for an administrative policy regarding full-time city employees who also

serve as paid-on-call (POC) firefighters. He explained the following:

* The full-time employees who also serve as POCs would only be able to respond to

"known structure fires in the City of Rochester Hills".

* The policy would add five (5) firefighters to supplement the day shift.

* There is also a "call-back" policy for POCs who live in the City. This would take place

from 6:00 AM to 6:00 PM for "known structure fires".

* The City of Auburn Hills is currently using this type of program.

Mayor Somerville informed the Committee that she has been told by deputies that they

will not agree to a public safety aid program due to liabilities and union issues.

However, she encouraged the Committee to continue to bring forward new suggestions

and ideas for discussion.

Chairperson Raschke commented that she did receive a packet of information on the

City of Troy's program, however, their police structure is different than the City of

Rochester Hills.