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MEMORADNUM <br /> To: Anoka County Fire Departments <br /> Dallas Larson, City Administrator, Centerville <br /> Jerry Streich, Fire Chief, Centennial Lakes Fire Department <br /> From: Kurt B. Glaser, City Attorney, Centerville <br /> Date: April 14, 2014 <br /> Re: Proposed Joint Powers Agreement — Anoka County, Fire Protection Council <br /> Analysis and Comments <br /> 1. General Comments <br /> a. Policy Considerations <br /> L The proliferation on various joint powers entities within Anoka County is a <br /> wonderful example of forward thinking and efficient use of taxpayer monies. <br /> However, this proliferation of joint powers entities is also creating an expanding <br /> bureaucracy within the County that may begin to burden municipal resources, <br /> or erode the powers and responsibilities of our elected officials. Deciding to <br /> create the proposed Fire Protection Council has long -term implications for all of <br /> the member Cities who may participate. One question for consideration is <br /> whether the purposes envisioned by the FPC should be unique to its own joint <br /> powers entity or whether using existing resources might be a more efficient <br /> means to accomplish these purposes. <br /> Other than creating a new entity, a policy question for consideration should be <br /> whether the existing governance structure of the Joint Law Enforcement Council <br /> could be transformed to include Fire Department operations. Having a single <br /> governance structure for all emergency services in the County may be beneficial <br /> for simplicity's sake and save the potential duplication of efforts. Given how <br /> both the Joint Law Enforcement Council and the proposed Fire Protection <br /> Council require participation by administrative staff and elected officials from <br /> each participating City and Township, a single joint powers entity for emergency <br /> services could be more efficient than two separate entities. <br /> Given the turmoil surrounding the member Cities of the Centennial Fire District, <br /> an alternate strategy should be considered in the event they cannot adopt the <br /> proposed Joint Powers Agreement. One of these potential strategies could <br /> include consideration of having the existing (or a transformed) Joint Law <br /> Enforcement Council manage emergency services (fire and law enforcement) <br /> and /or the new computer system using its existing countywide governance <br /> structure. <br /> 1 <br /> 78 <br />