12/16/2008 Meeting Minutes - Laserfiche WebLink

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Council Minutes of 12/16/2008 4) Tim Smith, 6053 Sherwood, is a resident and business owner in the city and is showing support for the safety forces. His father is a retired fire fighter, and he believes it takes a special person to be a policeman or fireman. They don't often get the respect that they deserve, but they are the first people we turn to in the time of crisis. Recently, his son was hurt at the Rec Center, and he was taken care of by the fire paramedics. He worries that starting January 1, the safety forces may not be there as quickly for another person. It's said that we just can't afford to keep the current staffing of our safety forces, but can we truly afford not to? 5) Terry Smith, 26615 Fairfax Lane, feels the primary purpose of a government is protection. The question in his mind is what level of protection is adequate. He wonders if other people should be laid off instead of the safety forces so that we have adequate protection. 6) Dan Koster, a Westlake resident, a business owner in North Olmsted for over 10 years, has used the services of the Fire Dept. four times with good results. He questioned if members of the administration and Council were going to take a pay cut. As a retired fire captain from a western suburb, he has a college degree in fire technology and is well aware of how all the fire departments and systems work. One of the things that concerns him greatly, aside from our services being cut, is that he knows over the last five years the number of runs have increased immensely here in North Olmsted and likewise in the other western suburbs. All are taking measures to cut their staff. In 200$ year to date, it's his understanding that North Olmsted has increased runs by over 100 runs this year, yet we're laying off fire fighters. Many years ago, he helped design the mutual aid system. Because of the staffing cuts throughout the western suburbs, the use of mutual aid will increase and North Olmsted fire fighters are going to be in another city instead of protecting our citizens. He would like to know what the knowledge and education of the administration is with regard to public safety and if these decisions are just being based on finances Mayor O'Grady answered that the administration's education is not in fire safety or fire science. The Chiefs of Police and Fire are the experts. They are the ones that advise the administration and Council, and they have stated on the record that these reductions will not result in a reduction of safety for our citizens. Nonsense as is contained in the anonymous flyer is not only a disgrace to the citizens of our city, it's a disservice of the highest order to the people who are actually losing their jobs. Because while people are potentially losing their jobs, others are playing games. And this will not work. It must stop. Mr. Koster said he really had no comment about the flyer. It would seem to him that, if 10% of the garbage trucks were taken off the street, the garbage wouldn't be picked up the same. It can't be. The numbers just don't work. If there's increased mutual aid going out of this city and there are fewer people manning our fire stations and manning our police cars and manning our ambulances because they are busy in other suburbs, then this service is going to suffer. There is no way that anyone can tell him that won't happen. 9