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HomeMy WebLinkAbout21.09.09 - Minutes, Emergency Services Advisory CouncilSER V, Y WASHINGTON COUNTY, MD REGULAR MEETING (Virtual) Emergency Services Advisory Council Washington County, Maryland Date: Thursday, September 9, 2021 Attending: R. David Hays, Director, Emergency Services, Ex -Officio Dale Fishack, President, WCVFRA, Ex -Officio Kingsley Poole, Chairman, Citizen -at -Large Dick Hopkins, Co -Chairman, WCVFRA Ron Horn, Citizen -at -Large Roger Otzelberger, Jr., WCVFRA Gary Farrell, President, Funkstown FD, WCVFRA Bonnie Keltner, Administrative Assistant Guests: Randy Wagner, County Commissioner Absent: Tim Ammons, Citizen -at -Large Dwayne Lunsford, Citizen -at -Large Joe Kroboth, Citizen -at -Large Scott Buskirk, Citizen -at -Large CALL TO ORDER: • Chairman Poole called the meeting to order at 7:10 pm. Minutes: MOTION: On a motion by Dick Hopkins and seconded by Ron Horn, the ESAC members approved the minutes from the February 11 & June 17, 2021, meetings as presented. CARRIED Page I of 5 Washington County, Maryland Emergency Services Advisory Council Meeting Thursday, September 9, 2021 Old Business: Fite Company Audits Update — Dir. Hays • Dir. Hays reported that there has not been a lot of feedback from the auditors. He said that he understands after receiving the information today since they are in the final phases of the project. To quote Jack Ragan, project lead "the level of compliance with the data requests has been outstanding and we have relatively few outstanding items. We're in the process of finalizing our field work and should be issuing a draft statement report for you in the next week or two." It looks like probably this time next month we hopefully will have some kind of draft to look at. Dir. Hays advised that he will have to get direction from Administrator John Martirano whether it can come to this committee before the commissioners see it. Most likely, Dir. Hays, Sara Greaves, and John Martirano will see the document first. • Chairman Poole asked if the companies that had problems with the audits have been resolved and did they cooperate? Dir. Hays said yes and was able to speak to the leadership of the companies. He advised that he personally reached out to Scott Draper, CPA, and has been working directly with them. Gary Farrell asked if the audits were only to look for fraud or if there is something else? Are they looking for expenses that don't need to be there or better ways for the fire companies to spend their money? Dir. Hays answered that obviously fraud is on the top of the list. The second reason is best practices help eliminate the opportunity for fraud because that reduces the opportunity for it to occur. Dir. Hays indicated that they may recommend some better practices in how they reconcile their books and report to their governing bodies, not the ESAC, but their membership. The other issue is the companies raising money and sending people on extravagant trips. There are two different phases in this process: 1) the audit - that is looking for best practices — are the right kind of controls in place — are there two signers on every check — does the same person handle the money coming in that handles the money going out with no one else is seeing it? That's the fraud side of it. 2) the other side is agreed upon procedures, and Dir. Hays believes that is the best position for ESAC and the county. He believes Sara would agree with that position. That is where samples are being taken of 10% of expenses under $1,000 and random samples of 10% of expenses over $1,000. That is where the highest probability for improper purchases to be made. Gary also asked if there will be some type of standardization for the companies? Will all the companies be required to have the same practices in place? Is there something like this coming in the future or will it be recommendations for companies to follow county wide? Page 2 of 5 Washington County, Maryland Emergency Services Advisory Council Meeting Thursday, September 9, 2021 Dir. Hays answered that he believes there will be individual recommendations. He is not sure that we are harnessed strong enough to be able to handle getting those standardized processes in place. He also noted that the departments may not be harnessed strong enough to do that. New Business: Director's Report — Director Dave Hays • COVID — Dir. Hays indicated that DES will follow county leadership with consultation from Emergency Management and the Health Dept. on what our future posture will be. Also, Emergency Management would be the coordinating agency for a county wide finance package as well as any changes or modifications of our posture. Dir. Hays reported they are still working to finalize the firefighter hiring for the second recruit class. That will consist of 10 firefighters and two firefighter paramedic captains. There has not been a start date established; they are still trying to work through that. Based on what they are seeing in the applications and certification documents, it is likely their training will include a full Firefighter II, pumps, hazmat ops, & EVOC certification classes with a heavier emphasis on the basic firefighter evolutions. While this group doesn't seem to have quite the credentials that the first pool had, they look like they are in pretty good shape. The public safety training center is all but under roof and construction is going along very well. They are ahead of schedule, and we believe that around February 2022 we may have the building in our hands. We already briefed to the CIP project for the five -story training tower burn building and the design and planning is now underway with that and the site visits occurring later this month. • Volunteer incentives — Dir. Hays said he talked with the volunteer coordinator, Oley Griffith, and he has been speaking with Rick Hemphill. The Association is seeing a significant increase in participation from the volunteers. The LOSAP coordinators are inundated with work because of so many people participating. • Dir. Hays discussed the stats he sent to the council members. • Dir. Hays advised they were successful in budgeting for three new safety officer vehicles. The Association has taken delivery of these. Page 3 of 5 Washington County, Maryland Emergency Services Advisory Council Meeting Thursday, September 9, 2021 Personal Accountability System — Dir. Hays noted that this has been discussed for probably two years and even more after the firefighter was injured and how there really wasn't a personal accountability program being used on that fire scene. A decision was made to push the issue to get the Association to bring this to a committee. It was noted that Leitersburg is piloting the passport system and Shaipsburg is currently using it. HFD uses a very close version of it. Two weeks ago, at the chiefs' committee, they agreed to move it forward. Dale will work it through the Association for approval, but the plan is to implement that program Dec. lst of this year. WCVFRA Report — President Dale Fishack • Volunteer incentives - Dale had asked Rick Hemphill to put some numbers together to give out to the commissioners of what the increase was. It has taken off; it is making a difference and he believes the results we want to see are being produced. It truly is a good recruitment tool because it is instant gratification to anyone that you're trying to sell the program to. • The only issue the Association has outstanding is a struggle with getting officer documentation in. They are working through that and should have it resolved before the next Association meeting. _What is expected of this group? Advise, consent? Chairman Poole & Co -Chair Hopkins • Chairman Poole asked the question "what is expected of this group" to Commissioner Wagner? Commissioner Wagner reminded Kingsley and Dick that they were to come in and get on the agenda to talk this out. Commissioner Wagner said the ESAC needs to have a session with the commissioners and get their direction. Chairman Poole asked Commissioner Wagner if this meeting could be in private session and Commissioner Wagner said he did not think so, but he did say to do a format on what the council envisions their mission is. President Fishack said that the council needs to have some type of deliverables and he feels the council has not had any. He could only think of one time that the council made a decision about SCBA and we were going to move forward with one platform. President Fishack said that if you present it the right way, you might be able to go in closed session if you would do it as a counseling session with the chair and co-chair. Commissioner Wagner said to let legal and the administrator figure out how we can make it a closed session. Do we need an outline of something instead of just going in and having a hash session? • Dir. Hays said that gives John Martirano and Kirk Downey the ability to see what is to be discussed and then, hopefully, to qualify for a closed session. He believes you could go in the meeting with some recommendations on what you think you should be, as a committee, that would be your first start. Page 4 of 5 Washington County, Maryland Emergency Services Advisory Council Meeting Thursday, September 9, 2021 • Co -Chair Hopkins said that the situation has changed with the hiring of these firefighters and assigned out to different locations, so we're looking at how are we going to function in the future with this system. It is important to look at that now and it could be something we can build on. • Dir. Hays commented that we need a formal platform that says those things come here and then where do they go. What does the committee do and what's its involvement? It doesn't have to be detailed. • President Fishack said that our first step isn't to go to the commissioners, but the first step should be meeting with John Martirano, County Administrator and for Kingsley, Dick, Dir. Hays, and myself to sit down and talk with the Administrator and look to him for direction. • Chairman Poole will try and set up a meeting with the parties just mentioned. Ron Horn asked if the members could give some input for the meeting. Adiournment • MOTION: With no other business brought forward, a motion was made by Dick Hopkins and seconded by Ron Horn to adjourn the meeting at 8:00pm. CARRIED. Next meeting: • - November -A 2021, 7pm • Location: Downstairs Training Room at DES Respectfully submitted by, Bonnie Keltner, Administrative Assistant Washington County Div. of Emergency Services, Kingsley Poole, ESAC Chairman, & Richard Hopkins, ESAC Co -Chair Page 5 of 5