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Special City Council Strategic Planning Meeting <br />Saturday, February 7, 2009 <br />Page 9 <br />Councilmembers that these reductions would not happen without impacts; however, he <br />expressed his willingness to work with the Parks and Recreation Commission in <br />implementing the changes with the least impact to the community as possible, given the <br />current economic situation. Mr. Brokke opined that, in these current economic times, the <br />department and Commission were of the consensus that parks and recreation <br />opportunities become much more important, with close-to-home programs and <br />opportunities for participation for everyone. Mr. Brokke further opined that history had <br />proven that impacts of eliminating programs may not be felt immediately, but over time it <br />would change the face of the community. Mr. Brokke asked that, in order to avoid panic <br />and short-sighted decision-making, that the City Council look at the overall situation for <br />the best long-term future of Roseville. Mr. Brokke opined that the City of Roseville was <br />a highly sophisticated, and great community, and if things started to be removed or <br />service levels reduced, that sense of community and involvement would be lost. <br />Discussion among Councilmembers and staff included working with the Commission to <br />enhance volunteer programs; changing tiers and program efforts at the skate park and <br />skating center, with higher fees; considering expanding the Nature Center to more <br />recreational, rather than environmental programming; reviewing those programs that are <br />more labor-or cost-intensive; clarification that the Parks and Recreation Department was <br />responsible for plowing all pathways in parks and sidewalks, with the Public Works <br />Department responsible for their initial construction; and philosophical discussions <br />between staff and travel teams and their structures versus in-house teams. <br />Assistant Fire Chief Tim O'Neill <br />Assistant Fire Chief noted that the department was 100% fully- tax funded, with 69% <br />staffing costs; and 31 % maintenance, equipment, building maintenance, and supplies for <br />firefighters. Mr. O'Neill noted, that it became apparent that operational savings needed <br />to be defined when 2009 budget levels became frozen at 2008 levels by the City <br />Manager. Mr. O'Neill advised that, over the last six weeks, the department had <br />addressed how to maintain the level of response to emergency calls for fire and <br />emergency medical services (EMS), while ensuring firefighter and EMS safety issues. <br />Mr. O'Neill opined that it had been challenging to attempt to balance a budget with <br />inflationary costs continuing to increase. <br />Mr. O'Neill provided a list of items that had been put in place, or were proposed to be <br />implemented, in order to meet the 3.2% reduction for 2009 the department's budget. <br />^ Reduce discretionary membership, unless mandated by Mutual Aid Agreements <br />^ Firefighter annual physicals: eliminate cardiac and cholesterol screening <br />^ Reduce firefighter uniform supplies as appropriate <br />^ As indicated to the City Council in recent a-mails over the last few weeks, the <br />Fairview Fire Station #2 has been placed on inactive status, reducing response levels, <br />with no paid, on-call staffing on that site. Mr. O'Neill advised that equipment would <br />continue to be stored there. <br />^ With Station #2 being placed on reserve status, proposed selling a ladder truck (1-19 <br />years old), that would be coming up for replacement in the next few years, and <br />