At its Aug. 18 regular meeting, the Belleville City Council received an assessment report on its fire department.
Greg Flynn and Rich Marinucci were present to report on their study of the department and to suggest options for the city to consider, including joining up with a neighboring department for reliable service in a reasonable timeframe and to turn over any situations more than muscular, cuts, scrapes, and bruises to Huron Valley Ambulance to handle.
Another consideration was that the Assistant Chief’s position may no longer reflect the department’s current needs and could be replaced with a Captain of Training, who would be responsible for coordinating fire and EMS training. Two lieutenant positions were suggested to enhance on-scene supervision.
The assessment team also proposed establishing clear participation requirements, since having paid-on-call personnel has led to inconsistent participation in training and emergency response.
A synopsis of the 17-page report was given by Flynn, who suggested after consideration the city could decide to do nothing different and continue on the way it has.
Councilman Randy Priest asked about the inspections Flynn had suggested and Flynn said inspections of buildings by a fire marshal would help prevent new fires, but if the city is already doing such inspections that wouldn’t be necessary.
Flynn applauded the city for reaching out for an assessment, making itself vulnerable. He said local insights can be clouded by historical knowledge.
The council did not discuss the report at the meeting but members of the fire department sat in the audience in uniform to hear the assessment.
In other business at Monday’s meeting, the council:
• Approved naming interim city manager Steve Jones as the alternative representative to the DUWA sewer board to replace Jason Smith. Jones also was named Act 51 Street Administrator, taking the place previously held by former city manager Smith who is no longer with the city;
• Received an update from Jones on the upgrades to 330 Charles St., which is being renovated to become the new city hall. He told the council the most up-to-date floor plans are before them, the doors are in the right spots, the budget numbers are becoming more clear and, “We are moving forward.” He said the demolitions are done and 90% of the framework is there and it’s not just an empty shell. Councilman Jeremiah Beebe said he has toured the structure and you can visualize where everything goes. “I’m excited to see some of the numbers come through,” Beebe said. Jones reported the former loading dock is gone and leveled off to make a place for the garage;
• Heard councilwoman Julie Kissel thank Beebe for helping with six or seven houses that got volunteer help to meet city ordinances. Beebe said Kissel started the whole project. He said they agree that people should look out for their neighbors and help those struggling with the ordinances. He said three or four members of Redemption Bible Church came out to help and got stung. “We could do more of that civil service. It doesn’t need to go through the city,” he said;
• Heard Kissel ask about the $1,982.45 spent on vehicle maintenance for the Vactor truck and she was told it still is not functional; and
• Heard mayor Ken Voigt give a report on the press conference at the library held earlier that afternoon. He said it was well-attended and local activists were there. The event was to protest the Michigan Department of Environment, Great Lakes and Energy’s recent announcement it would grant the renewal of Wayne Disposal’s toxic landfill operating license because the landfill qualifies. He cited details from the speakers and said, “We need to keep fighting this.”
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