January Meeting Minutes

General Meeting

January 21, 2010

Pledge

Roll Call

Motion to suspend reading of minutes, Andrews 2^nd Garland-passed

T. Brandon gave financial report. Motion to accept, Andrews 2^nd Von Mille-passed

Pulliam recognized for 23 years of service to Local. Pulliam expressed his gratitude to all especially Brandon.

K. Andes sworn in as new president,New Executive Board sworn in. Offer to keep Pulliam as consultant until President Andes is up to speed.

Open Forum

T. Brandon to visit each station and shift beginning in February.

Andes asking for each member of local to forward 3 goals for the Local

R. Neville asked about the possibility of PBSC and Local working together.

Andes that the local will work with the other organization, would like to see 2 groups as one

Pulliam stated stand together on issues.

Andes asked if discussion of race would be helpful? Chambers said yes, discussion should start at station level as a family.

Glidewell said lack of clarity causes most problems, Brandon added trust issues.

Pulliam explained the organization of each group. Local and PBSC have equal representation but the Local is the only bargaining agency.

Andes: Both groups want consistency in hiring process with standards and practices in writing.

Andes: Spoke about meeting with retirement (Bill Landham). Sick leave is a benefit, told Chief has the authority to deny sick leave/medical leave; Andes would like to invite Landham to meeting for question and answer session.

Brandon: People calling for staffing now — money not issue.

Whitely: Lt. Forgette questioned at civic meeting about staffing issues.

Farber: expressed that Local should go to civic meetings and explain need, rather than having on-duty members doing it.

Pulliam: Fire Chief and Chief Pulliam had explained same as well as NFPA 1710

Andes: Get citizens and council members to FTA to demonstrate 3 vs. 4-person company.

Ross: gave fire safety talk and stated he is there for Prevention tips/questions.

Schmidt: Hiring and promotion needed standardization.

Brandon: Need safe staffing

Pulliam: Need 1710 compliance

Andes: All local members need to be unified.

Pulliam: PPGs needed

L. Neville: per Chief operating under 2007 PPGs

Andes: recommends promotions based on sick leave usage

McGovern: 100% sick time towards retirement

Schmidt: burden of budget cuts needs to be shared equally, Ops taking the brunt; have E Board remind Admin of this.

Pulliam: Work force should not be cut anywhere.

Glidewell: explained differences between DROP and new hire; need all to work together

Farber: Asked about joining state association.

Andes: Will have state representative come to meeting and explain benefit of belonging.

Brandon: Explained why Local left the association; Pulliam added more information.

Schmidt: Need good communication device to get information to membership.

R. Neville moved that a PIO/Communication Committee be formed and its priority be obtaining email addresses from the membership in order to relay information.2^nd Whitely; passed.

FORUM CLOSED

Brandon reported that Transit Union was leaving. Will result in $500 loss/month.

Andrews reported on General Assembly: Line of Duty Benefits (will get Bill #)

Interrogation Process/witness changes

GOOD and WELFARE

Verlander’s mother passed.

Moved to adjourn, Brandon, 2^nd Von Mille passed.

January Meeting

January 21, 2009 will be the next meeting. New officers will be sworn in for their upcoming terms. Executive Board meeting starts at 1700. General Membership meeting begins at 1900.

President-elect K. Andes Holiday Message

Brothers and Sisters,

I want to wish each of you and your family a very Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year. As we begin our 152nd year as a Department, please remember the goodwill we feel over the holidays and allow it to carry over throughout the year. I also ask you to keep in your thoughts and prayers our brother Gary Shortt and his family. We as a Department hope for a full recovery and await his return to full-active duty. Please also remember our fallen brothers and their families. I can only imagine the loss they feel which is only worsened during the holidays. Please continue to check on their welfare and update us of their needs when possible.

To those who are retiring this year, thank you for all you have done for us. Continued good health, and know you will be missed.

I look forward to the challenges that lie ahead for our Department. I want us to strive to be the best of the best. We will be visiting each of you to formulate ideas for the future of our Department. Please take the time to put some thought into how we can prosper as individuals, as companies, as a department, and for the citizens of Richmond.

Again, I wish you Happy Holidays and please take a minute to say a prayer for the safety of our men and women of the armed services who continue to make sacrifices for us.

Merry Christmas and Please Stay Safe,
Keith

November Meeting Minutes

November 18, 2009

General Meeting

Pledge

 Roll Call

 Motion to suspend reading of minutes, Von Mille; 2^nd Taylor passed.

 T. Brandon gave the Financial Report. Move to accept Andrews, 2^nd Chambers. Passed

 Brandon moved to donate total of $100 to requests from other Locals with members in need.

 Old:

C. Newbill elected to city council. Local supported with $500 donation. Newbill sits on Public Safety Committee.

 No policy released on the Task Force concept for the two company houses.

 New:

Public Safety Committee Meeting

Pulliam presented program at Public Safety Committee meeting. Program detailed city’s liability should it choose not to follow NFPA 1710 and 1720 standards. Program also informed committee of the reduction of daily staffing in the department. Pulliam asked the council members to fully fund overtime and insist the chief hire up to 101 every day.

Richmond Fire and RAA received award for 40% save rate on cardiac related calls.

Fire Prevention received grant of $35,000 for investigative division.

Since the committee meeting all council members have been provided with presentation packet.

Planning has started for presentation to council on fire growth.

To meet budget constraints the department has frozen 14 positions.

Grant given to city to build new Station 17 ($3.5 million) City must provide $1.5 million. Station has to be built at 22^nd and Semmes. There is a time constraint the city must meet or lose the grant.

Fire Chief Meeting:

            CDP – only three members may be awarded grandfather status to old program.

     Recruit class – Start in February 2010 and run through June 2010. 16 new hires.

             Mayor has stated he does not want to close firehouses. 40-50 vacancies by June

            Will mean closed houses unless OT is hired.

Elections results:

President —  Keith Andes

Sec/Tres. — Tom Brandon

      Rec. Sec. — Barney Ring

            Vice Pres.  —  Rodney Spruill, Melody Spivey, Chris Wells, Zak VonMille, David Ross,                     Chris Stowell

            Sgt-at-Arms — Ray Neville, Rob Gray

           Trustees — Jim Chambers, Bill Andrews

For all but the newly elected Trustees the term lasts two years. Trustees serve for four years.

 

Good and Welfare

S. Richardson’s daughter in MCV with complications from H1N1.

George and Chip Bridgers’ father passed.

G. Short is making progress in his recovery.

Next Meeting

Next Meeting

November 19, 2009

@ 7 pm

Come get the election results first hand.

October Minutes

October 15, 2009
General Meeting

Pledge

Roll Call


T. Brandon gave the Financial Report. Move to accept Garland, 2nd Chambers. Passed

Old:
Staffing — Local to attend Council meeting on November 16, to ask for $350,000 to fix staffing problem. Chief has been notified. Need massive attendance from firefighters to make this happen.

Farber has created blog to publicly document companies being marked out of service for staffing shortage. Address is: www.richmondfirefighters.blogspot.com

PPGs — Language in PPGs about automatic termination regarding seatbelt use and stoplights discussed.

Recruitment — Ross reported 1700 took hiring test; 308 will be interviewed for 16 positions. Class being planned for early 2010 start.

Vacancies — By end of June 2010 there will be 44 vacancies in the department.

Sick Leave — Pulliam is going before Personnel Board to recommend 90% sick leave accrued be counted towards retirement time. Chief will support.

Grant — $3.5 million received from FIRE Act for new 17, $1.7 million more needed.

New:
Spanbauer reported that AL 11 was being stationed at #5. This means that both Utility 5 and AL 11 are being marked out. Quint 5 forced to mark out of service or respond with three personnel in case of working fire when AL 11 must respond.

Liverman working on plan to convert Quint 13 and Rescue 3 into a task force. Spivey spoke against task force plan.

T. Brandon moved to donate $50 to Manassas firefighter and $25 to Massachusetts firefighter; VonMille 2nd , passed.

7th District having special election. Cynthia Newbill is the Locals choice in the race. Brandon moved to contribute $500 for election, Garland 2nd, passed

P.O. Box rented for election; $60, stamps and envelopes purchased as well.

Nominations follow:
President — Dave Pulliam, Sr., Keith Andes, Wesley Taylor

Sec/Tres. — Tom Brandon, J.R. Hall

Rec. Sec. — Barney Ring

Vice Pres. – six positions — Rodney Spruill, Danny Owens, David Loving, Melody Spivey, Chris Wells, Kurt Gran, Zak VonMille, Patrick Stewart, Alex Farber, David Ross, Chris Stowell

Sgt-at-Arms — Ray Neville, Rob Gray

Trustees — Jim Chambers, Bill Andrews, Gary Lewis

Ballots will be mailed within seven days, must be received by November 17, 2009.

Good and Welfare
J. Hohnbaum finished with radiation therapy beginning chemo, looking good.

September Meeting Minutes

September 17, 2009
General Meeting

Pledge

Roll Call

Reading of minutes from June’s meeting. Move to accept Chambers, 2nd Andrews. Passed

T. Brandon gave the Financial Report. Move to accept Andrews, 2nd Chambers. Passed

Old:
MDA — Pulliam explained the circumstances about the collection this year. MDA did not take the appropriate steps to ensure success i.e. meeting with mayor, filing an independent attorney opinion. $30,000 collected

Operations Chief — Batt. Chief M. Carter promoted to Operations Chief

Staffing — City and department not taking advantage of available SAFER funding. Could help alleviate problem with vacancies. Local giving information to city council and mayor’s office.

Apparatus — Money that was allocated in past budgets for apparatus but never spent is unaccounted for. Finance department investigating.

Beat the Heat 5K — Chief Glidewell commented that the 2009 race was a success. More than 400 runners participated.

Station 5 — Asbestos problem fixed, roof still leaking.

New:
Chief conferences — Three meetings held between Chief and staff and the employee groups (Local & PB&SC)

Subjects discussed – staffing, vacation and sick accrual, recruitment, CDP, apparatus replacement

Employment testing on September 26, more than 3,000 applied.

Possibility of holding joint meeting with PB&SC to discuss unified action on behalf of employees.

Farber to chair committee in order to release public information about out of service dates.

Local elections to take place in November, Nominations taken at October 15
meeting or by contacting Election Committee chairman P. Ledbetter. Full slate of officers up for reelection.

Good and Welfare
G. Short is improving
J. Hohnbaum receiving radiation therapy
S. Jones earned Master’s Degree from UR
Pulliam recognized the efforts of Spivey, Ross, Harris, Ashby and Ring for work done on Local’s behalf during the summer.