10-12-04 Worksession
CITY COUNCIL MINUTES
Richfield, Minnesota
Special Worksession
October 12, 2004
The meeting was called to order by Mayor Kirsch at 5:35 p.m.
Council Members
Present:
Martin Kirsch, Mayor; Susan Rosenberg; Gertrude Ulrich; John Enger; and
Sue Sandahl.
Staff Present:
Samantha Orduno, City Manager; Steve Devich, Acting City Clerk; Bruce
Palmborg, Community Development Director; Dan Scott, Public Safety
Director; Brad Sveum, Acting Fire Services Director; Barry Fritz, Police
Captain; and Jay Henthorne, Police Lieutenant.
Item #1
City Manager Orduno introduced the representatives of PSC Alliance, Russ Sinkler, Jeff
Nelson and Tom Nelson, who compiled a report on alternate 911 dispatching services.
Jeff Nelson, PSC Alliance, introduced the topic and presented a brief background of events
leading up to conducting the recent joint dispatching study, including the four cities of Richfield, St.
Louis Park, Golden Valley and Brooklyn Center.
Mr. Nelson narrated a slide presentation summarizing the significant aspects, issues and
conclusions regarding the consideration of cooperative dispatch options.
The three-study report looks at three major options and their variations, including:
1. Getting the service through Hennepin County - cities"must respond on or before
November 30,2004.
2. Combining operations with a member of the other three communities included in the study.
3. Maintain our own autonomous dispatch center.
Mr. Nelson described the stakeholders in any Public Safety Answering Point (PSAP)
environment as well as the issues and activities that impact any PSAP and the resulting response
components. He also summarized the input received from staff and users of Richfield dispatch and
stated that quality service delivery was the paramount concern.
Mr. Nelson also reviewed the different governance models available for a consolidated
dispatch center as well as describing the City's investment in LOGIS and mobile data terminals.
Special Worksession Minutes
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October 12, 2004
Mr. Nelson stated that based upon the study and discussions with Richfield users, the least
desirable option was consolidation into the Hennepin County dispatching center. He stated that if the
four cities were to consolidate their dispatching operations, then the Brooklyn Center facility be used,
with Richfield as a "fall-back" site for potential temporary service disruptions at the Brooklyn Center
site.
Mr. Nelson presented a brief synopsis of the Hennepin County dispatch alternative and facility.
He proceeded to summarize the pros and cons of a consolidation with Hennepin County dispatch.
Russ Sinkler, PSC Alliance, summarized a number offunding options that could be utilized to
fund a consolidated dispatch operation among a number of the cities included in the study.
Council Member Sandahl asked if any City in the study has made a decision so far.
Mr. Nelson responded that they had not, but that St. Louis Park and Golden Valley have
indicated a strong desire to continue their joint operation.
City Manager Orduno stated that in the beginning of the study, Richfield anticipated the
opportunity to provide dispatching service to one or more additional communities, seeing that
Richfield had already made a significant investment in the state of the art 800 mghz system. The
potential savings, absent that opportunity, are no where near what was hoped and in fact are fairly
minimal.
The City Council asked that this item be brought to the City Council at a Worksession meeting
in November to allow the Council Members to thoroughly digest the materials contained in this study
report.
The meeting was adjourned by unanimous consent at 6:25 p.m.
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Martin J. Kirs
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