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HomeMy WebLinkAbout11.18.74 Council Minutes $3 APPROVED ja MINUTES COUNCIL MEETING REGULAR NOVEMBER 18, 1974 The meeting was called to order by the Mayor at 7:30 P.M. Present: Mayor Daily, Trustees Akin, Kuchera, McElmury Absent: Trustee Graphenteen Also Present: Administrator For, Attorney Gorgos Motion by McElmury, second by Kuchera that the minutes of Nov 4 and Nove 11, 1974 be approved as presented. APIF, motion carried. The Reverend Towne, Farmington Lutheran Church, representing the Farmington Ministerial Association addressed the council in the matter of Ambulance Service in Farmington. Appearing with him was Mr. Leonard Franke, former owner and operator of the ambulance service in Farmington. Reverend Towne stated that what he had to convey to the council was more of an impression or a feeling on the part of his church members and others rather than a matter of specific fact. In a general discussion involving Reverend Towne and Mr. Franke, members of the council and others, the following topics, statments, or comments were established: 1. Average ambulance response time is excessive. 2. Victims or patients are being taken to medical facilities not necessarily the closest and on occasion, against their will. 3. The level of training among the volunteer drivers is dropping and many are quitting. 4. The ambulance service appears to be operated as a profit making venture contrary to public understanding. 5. The ambulance service is being operated as a conduit through which medical business is being attracted to the Apple Valley Medical facility. 6. Mr. Franke sold out his business because the medical facility informed him that if he were unwilling to sell that it was their intention to put into service two ambulance units which he felt would force his going out of business. 7. That it is a matter of state law that the Officer on the scene has the discretion as to the destination as to the ambulance and the patient. 8. Burnsville was now making use of the Apple Valley Ambulance Service while other service was available to that area. 9. That an M.D. was on the premises 24 hours at the Apple Valley Medical facility while an M.D. was "On-Call" at the Farmington Hospital. 10. The ambulance units now being operating by the A.V. Ambulance Service were not being maintained properly and were, in fact, out of service a good part of the time. 11. There appeared to be a difference between the provision for emergency ambulance service as opposed to normal-non-emergency ambulance service. 12. Strict requirements are enforced by the State concerning ambulance vehicles 13. Taking medical patients or accident victims in a police car is inadvisible and risky practice. 14. A certain amount of ill will exists on the part of some police forces toward the sending of accident victims to the Farmington Hospital. 15. Many of the "volunteer" ambulance drivers for the Apple Valley Ambulance Service are off duty Apple Valley and Lakeville Policemen and Firemen. The council requested the City Administrator to look into this entire matter thoroughly, determine the existing facts, and to make recommendations as to satisfactory solutions. The council was informed by the Administrator that the Minnesota Department of Health through the Agricultural Extension Service of the University of Minnesota was conduct- ing a three day work shop dealing with sanitary ordinances; Home sewage disposal systems and recommended that Bill Hince, General Services Superintendent, attend. The council was informed that City Ordinance, section 8, chapter 2, paragraph 5, specifically required a permit to install private sanitary sewer systems. The council requested the Administrator to first contact Dan Miller, the building in- spector to determine whether or not on-lot sewer systems were presently being inspected by him as part of the building permit, and report back to the council. Council took up some correspondence from the Association of Metropolitan Municipalities which inquired as to whether or not Metropolitan wide licensing of home repair con- tractors was necessary. It was the consensus of the council that such an ordinance would be overprotective of the public and at any rate could well be handled on the local vis a vis the Metro level. 4 The Administrator read to the council a memorandum from Police Chief Metalf recommending the personnel policy be changed in the following particulars: That all sworn Police Department Personnel be required to serve one year probation upon hiring and upon promotion to a different specific position. Motion by Akin, second by Kuchera that the above personnel policy be changed. APIF, motion carried. The Administrator reported to the council the status of angle parking in the Downtown Area. He informed them that the request from the City to institute angle parking immediately had been discussed as an agenda item at the County Board meeting of November 11, 1974 and that a telephone call to the Administrator subsequent to the County Board meeting did not produce a definitive answer to the questions asked. The Mayor asked the Administrator to again contact the county in an attempt to get an immediate answer from the County Board. Correspondence had been received from Farmington School District #192 requesting that the School District and the city jointly address itself to the mutual problem of providing ice skating facilities in the community. The correspondence further indicated that a committee had been formed on the part of the School District and requested that a similar committee be formed on behalf of the city and for the two bodies to meet jointly to discuss the problem. The Mayor then appointed councilman Akin to that committee and instructed the Administrator to contact the Chairman of the Park and Recreation Advisory Commission to furnish two additional members and to meet with the School District. Motion by McElmury, second by Akin that the council approve the payment to Fischer Sand and Aggregate, estimate #3 (final) in the amount of $60,583.56 as recommended by the Engineer. APIF, motion carried. Councilman Akin requested the Administrator to try and determine whether it was the responsibility of theMinnesota Highway Department to provide maintenaince on Elm Street which is also Trunk Highway 50. Motion by Akin, second by McElmury that the bills be approved for payment as presented. APIF, motion carried. Motion made and carried to adjourn at 9:00 P.M. Respectfully submitted, William J. Ford City Administrator WJF/kf