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HomeMy WebLinkAbout012419784.52 SPECIAL COUNCIL MEETING -- JANUARY 24, 1978 PRESENT: COUNCILMAN J. R. JOACHIM, VICE MAYOR LEWIS GRAY, MAYOR PAT FLOOD, JR. MEETING WAS CALLED TO ORDER BY MAYOR PAT FLOOD, JR., AT 1:10 P.M. PURPOSE OF MEETING WAS TO CONSIDER RESTRUCTURING OF RANKING OF THE POLICE DEPARTMENT AND TO DISCUSS AIRPORT FUNDS. COUNCILMAN JOACHIM STATED THAT HIS COMMITTEE REVIEWED THE POLICE DEPARTMENT AND FOUND OUT THEY ONLY HAVE PROVISIONS FOR A SERGEANT AT THIS TIME. WITH THE ANTICIPATED GROWTH OF THE CITY OF SEBASTIAN, THERE COMES A NEED FOR ADVANCEMENT OF THE MEMBERS OF THE POLICE DEPARTMENT. PARTLY MOTIVATION AND PARTLY TO KEEP POLICE HAPPY AS WELL AS TO GET THE PROPER RATING TO PEOPLE DOING THE JOB, COUNCILMAN JOACHIM BROUGHT THE FOLLOWING IDEA FOR APPROVAL OF THE COUNCIL: PREREQUISITES FOR ADVANCEMENT IN RATINGS: NEW CHANGES MADE 1. WRITTEN TEST FOR RATING DESIRED 20% 40% 2. LONGEVITY 10% 0 3. COMPETENCY 20% 20% 4. ATTITUDE 20% 20% 5. LEADERSHIP 20% 20% 6. APPEARANCE 10% 0 THERE WAS A FEELING THAT THE METHOD OF PROGRESSION SHOULD BE CHANGED. A PLAN FOR LONGEVITY IS BASED AS FOLLOWS: PA TROLMAN CORPORAL SERGEANT LIEUTENANT CAPTAIN MINIMUM OF 2 YEARS IN RATE VICE MAYOR GRAY THOUGHT THIS EJ~COUBA~E WITH PRIOR EXPERIENCE BUT COUNCILMAN JOACHIM SAID THIS COULD BE TAKEN INTO CONSIDERATION. POLICE CHIEF CUMMINS STATED THAT HE DID NOT KNOW IF IT WOULD BE RIGHT TO~E ~ EXPERIENCED MAN CREDIT OVER ANOTHER MAN WHO STARTED WITH THE DEPARTMENT. ~IC~ M~YORrG~AY WANTED TO KNOW WHAT HAPPENS IF CHIEF OF POLICE QUITS AND NEXT MAN IN LIA~E DOES NO~_WANT THE JOB. MAYOR FLOOD STATED THAT WE WOULD ADVERTISE. ALSO, THE POLICE Ck'IEF IS ~ APPOINTED POSITION WITH THE O.K. OF THE COUNCIL. THE COUNCIL ALSO APPROVES ALL MEMBERS OF THE POLICE DEPARTMENT. EVERYBODY SHOULD COME IN AS A PATROLMAN UNTIL BETTER~Q~A~IF~E~. VICE MAYOR GRAY SAID THAT IN ANY OF THESE POSITIONS A MAN IS STILL A PATROLMAN DUE TO THE SMALL SIZE OF OUR FORCE. PROMOTION. :~HI~ ZS[-PRINAE1TLI~ T~W--RE;~SON F~gA% RE-~g~RUC~URIN~ =15~E% RAN~ SCHEDULE. THE MAYOR ITY STOPS ~ HE-RE-T-~R~--~g THF~JO~T h~;~THER ~-}ME, ~4~S uS~ENI~IIU~- B~INS AS OF THE LATEST STARTING DATE. VICE MAYOR GRAY STATED THAT WE ARE GOING TO HAVE TO CONSIDER A PERSON'S PAST SERVICE - A PROFESSIONAL THING - MAN MAY HAVE ALREADY BEEN TO MORE SCHOOLS THAN ANYONE ELSE WE HAVE. WE WOULD HATE TO SEE HIM LEAVE BECAUSE THERE WAS NO SLOT FOR HIM. GRAY ALSO STATED THAT SOMEWHERE DOWN THE LINE WE SHOULD GET OUT OF HOURLY WAGES INTO YEARLY SALARY. CHIEF CUMMINS SAID THAT AT THIS POINT IT BECOMES ADMINISTRATIVE, WORKING INSIDE AS A DESK SERGEANT, FOR EXAMPLE. COUNCILMAN JOACHIM STATED THAT PREVIOUS EXPERIENCE WITH OTHER QUALIFIED POLICE AGENCIES WILL BE CONSIDERED. WRITTEN TESTS SHOULD BE GEARED TO THE LOCAL SITUATION. LAW BOOKS CAN ALWAYS BE CONSULTED. WHAT IS IMPORTANT IS BASIC COMMON SENSE. WHEN BASIC TRAINING AT POLICE ACADEMY IS COM- PLETED NO WRITTEN TEST (TRUE OR FALSE, MULTIPLE CHOICE, ETC.) IS GIVEN, JUST HAVE TO WRITE A PAPER REFLECTING ON ANY SUBJECT RELATIVE TO LAW ENFORCEMENT. COUNCILMAN JOACHIM BELIEVES TRUE OR FALSE, MULTIPLE CHOICE TYPE OF TEST SHOULD BE GIVEN, BECAUSE A PERSON MAY BE THOROUGHLY FAMILIAR WITH THE JOB, BUT BE UNABLE TO CONVEY THIS THOUGHTS ON PAPER. COUNCILMAN JOACHIM STATED THAT IT IS NOT INTENDED THAT ALL POSITIONS WILL BE FILLED AT ALL TIMES BUT WILL BE BASED UPON NEED WITHIN THE DEPARTMENT. THERE MAY BE A CORPORAL OR LIEU- TENANT SLOT OPEN BUT POLICE DEPARTMENT HAS NO NEED FOR ONE SO iT WOULD REMAIN OPEN UNTIL NEEDED. WORKING COMMITTEE SHOULD FIGURE OUT AND PRESENT TO COUNCIL A PERCENTAGE SYSTEM FOR THE PRE- REQUISITES FOR ADVANCEMENT IN RATINGS. LONGEVITY MEANS NOTHING. ANY PROMOTION CAN BE HASHED OVER. WRITTEN TEST SHOULD BE INCLUDED. LONGEVITY AND APPEARANCE SHOULD BE DELETED SINCE POLICE CHIEF SHOULD BE RESPONSIBLE FOR APPEARANCE. CITY CLERK STATED THAT USUALLY A PERSON'S ATTITUDE AND COMPETENCY ARE TAKEN INTO CONSIDERATION WHEN BEING INTERVIEWED; WRITTEN TEST SHOULD BE PART OF IT, NOT LONGEVITY. IF TWO PEOPLE TAKE THE TEST AND QUALIFY, THE ONE WITH LONGER SERVICE WOULD BE CONSIDERED FIRST. COUNCILMAN JOACHIM STATED THAT NOS. 2 AND 6 SHOULD BE DELETED ENTIRELY AND THE WRITTEN TEST SHOULD BE RATED AT 40%.' . SPECIAL COUNCIL MEETING - JANUARY 24, 1978 (CONT'D.) COUNCILMAN GRAY ASKED CHIEF CUMMINS ABOUT PROVISION IN THE STATE LAW FOR POLICEMEN TO TAKE REFRESHER COURSES. CHIEF CUMMINS STATED THERE ARE ALL TYPES OF COURSES. THERE ARE NEW LAWS EVERY YEAR AND AT PRESENT HIS MEN PICK UPTHE CHANGES AS THEY COME ALONG. MAYOR FLOOD REQUESTED CHIEF CUMMINS TO LOOK INTO COURSES AVAILABLE. CHIEF CUMMINS EXPLAINED THE QUARTERLY REPORT ON THE SALARY INCENTIVE PROGRAM IS AS FOLLOWS: WHEN YOU ATTEND THE BASIC TRAINING COURSE AS PRESCRIBED BY THE POLICE STANDARDS AND TRAINING COMMISSION YOU ARE QUALIFIED TO RECEIVE $25.00 PER MONTH INCREASE IN YOUR PAY ON TOP OF YOUR NORMAL BUDGETED SALARY. THIS COMES OUT OF STATE REVENUE SHARING FUNDS. FOR EVERY BLOCK OF 80 HOURS OF SCHOOL THEREAFTER, YOU ARE ENTITLED TO A $20.00 PER MONTH INCREASE ON TOP OF YOUR $25.00 AND YOU CAN TAKE AS MANY COURSES AS YOU WISH IN BLOCKS OF 80 HOURS UNTIL YOU REACH A MAXIMUM OF $135.00 PER MONTH. AFTER THIS YOU ARE CUT OFF; YOU CAN KEEP GOING TO SCHOOL BUT NO MORE MONEY UNLESS YOU GET INTO A BACHELOR'S DEGREE, THEN IT GOES UP TO $150.00. CHIEF CUMMINS STATED THAT THE COUNCIL SHOULD ANTICIPATE, WHEN MAKING UP THE BUDGET, WHO IS GOING TO GO TO SCHOOL, HOW MANY OFFICERS ARE GOING TO COMPLETE A COURSE WITHIN THE BUDGET YEAR AND HAVE THAT MONEY LISTED AS ANTICI- PATED SALARY INCREASES FOR SCHOOLING. IN THE FUTURE WE WILL HAVE TO MAKE BUDGET PROVISIONS FOR THIS. COUNCILMAN JOACHIM MADE THE POINT THAT JUST BECAUSE A POLICEMAN GOES TO SCHOOL OR TAKES REFRESHER COURSE, WHICH IS MANDATORY, AND PASSES THE TEST, IT DOESN'T MEAN THAT HE IS GOING UP FOR PROMOTION. IT WOULD BE NOTED IN HIS RECORD AND HAVE SOME BEARING WHENEVER LENGTH OF SERVICE ALLOWED HIM TO BE CONSIDERED FOR ADVANCEMENT. COUNCILMAN JOACHIM INQUIRED OF CHIEF CUMMINS IF THIS MONEY WOULD FOLLOW A PERSON (WORKING FOR THE CITY OF SEBASTIAN) WHO HAD COMPLETED REQUIRED SCHOOLING AND THEN QUIT AND WENT TO WORK FOR THE COUNTY. CHIEF CUMMINS INFORMED THAT THE PERSON WOULD BE INELIGIBLE TO RECEIVE MONEY FOR ONE YEAR, THEN COULD START COLLECTING AGAIN. MAYOR FLOOD WANTED TO KNOW WH/~--~Ti~.,~, ~B~N AT THIS MEETING. VICE MAYOR GRAY STATED THAT HE WOULD LIKE TO SE~_~ULL COUMCi-~ R~E~ENTATION. CITY CLERK STATED THAT IT IS IN THE CHARTER THAT FULL COUNCIL sHOULD BE PReSEnT FOR POLICY SETTING DECISION. MAYOR FLOOD STATED THAT SOME PROCEDURE, S GCJNG TO HAV~ 70 BE SET UP FOR THE CALLING OF MEETINGS. THIS WHOLE QUESTION NEEDS TO ~SCU__~ED A__~ THE ~XT WORKSHOP MEETING. COUNCILMAN JOACHIM WANTED TO KNOW WHY ITWAS APPARENTLY NECESSARY TO HAVE FOUR COUNCILMEN PRESENT TO TAKE ANY ACTION WHEN THE~E--~VE~EE~ OTHER THINGS VOTED ON WHEN THERE WERE NOT FOUR COUNCILMEN PRESENT. VICE MAYC~ F~RAF SA~4~THAT BEFORE HE VOTED HE WANTED TO BE SURE THAT THERE WAS NO WRITTEN LAW THAT S~YS YOU,VE TO HAVE A FULL COUNCIL TO MAKE A POLICY DECISION. CHIEF CUMMINS REQUESTED THAT THE PR~S~N~42-~OUR WORK WEEK OF THE POLICE DEPARTMENT BE REDUCED TO 40 HOURS, AT THE SAME SALARY. AS THE NUMBER OF POLICEMEN HAS INCREASED, IT IS NOT NECESSARY FOR THEM TO WORK 48, OR 42 HOURS AS IT USED TO BE. THIS REDUCTION iN HOURS AT THE NEX~C~Y COUN~II ;4EEFIN~ T~E¥ WI~L~AVE FO PASS A ~E~OIIITION ~0 AMEND THE BUDGET. SPECIAL MEETINGS MAY BE HELD ON THE CALL OF THE MAYOR OR OF FOUR OR MORE MEMBERS AND WHEN- EVER PRACTICABLE UPON NO LESS THAN 12 HOURS NOTICE TO EACH MEMBER. ALL MEETINGS ARE PUBLIC. HOWEVER, THE COUNCIL MAY RECESS FOR THE PURPOSE OF DISCUSSING ANY CLOSED OR EXECUTIVE SESSION LIMITED TO ITS OWN MEMBERSHIP ANY MATTER WHICH WOULD TEND TO DEFAME OR PREJUDICE THE CHARACTER OR REPUTATION OF ANY PERSON PROVIDED THAT THE GENERAL SUBJECT MATTER FOR CONSIDERATION IS EXPRESSED IN A MOTION CALLING FOR SUCH SESSION AND THAT FINAL ACTION THEREON SHALL NOT BE TAKEN BY THE COUNCIL UNTIL THE MATTER IS CONSIDERED IN AN OPEN MEETING." CITY CLERK CON- TINUED UNDER RULES IN GENERAL AND VOTING - "VOTING MAY BE BY VOICE VOTE EXCEPT THAT A ROLL CALL VOTE SHALL BE REQUIRED ON APPROPRIATION OF FUNDS OR ANY OTHER MOTION UPON THE CALL OF ANY COUNCILMAN. 3 MEMBERS OF THE COUNCIL SHALL CONSTITUTE A QUORUM OR A SMALLER NUMBER MAY ADJOURN FROM TIME TO TIME." POLICE COMMITTEE MEMBERS BENNIS AND GROSS AND CHIEF CUMMINS AGREED TO THE DISCUSSED PRO- POSALS. THE POLICE UNDERSTAND THAT THERE WILL BE NO SALARY INCREASE UNTIL NEXT BUDGET. MOTION MADE BY VICE MAYOR GRAY, SECONDED BY COUNCILMAN JOACHIM, THAT WE GO AHEAD WITH THE SCHEDULE ASRE-ARRANGED. CARRIED. MAYOR FLOOD STATED THAT THE AIRPORT COMMITTEE APPLIED TO THE AVIATION SECTION, DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION, STATE OF FLORIDA, FOR A GRANT OF $3500.00. IN THE MEANTIME, SOMEBODY INFORMED THE AIRPORT COMMITTEE CHAIRMAN THAT THAT AMOUNT WAS NOT ENOUGH AND THAT WE SHOULD ASK FOR A $7500.00 GRANT. MR. KIMBROUGH, HEAD OF AVIATION SECTION, DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION, STATE OF FLORIDA, INFORMED THE MAYOR THAT IT LOOKED LIKE WE WOULD GET THE GRANT, BUT THE MAYOR MUST SIGN AND RETURN AS SOON AS POSSIBLE A JOINT PARTICIPATING AGREEMENT. THE MONEY WON'T COME TO US - IT'S A JOINT VENTURE TYPE THING, BUT WE CAN PUT IN-KIND SERVICES IN FOR OUR PART OF THE AGREEMENT. THE MAYOR REQUESTED PERMISSION OF THE COUNCIL TO SIGN THE AGREEMENT IN ORDER TO GET PAPER WORK STARTED TO INSTALL LIGHTS AT THE AIRPORT. COUNCILMAN JOACHIM MADE A MOTION TO AUTHORIZE MAYOR FLOOD TO SIGN THE PARTICIPATING AGREEMENT JUST FOR LIGHTING AT THE AIRPORT. SECONDED BY VICE MAYOR GRAY. CARRIED. - 2 - 454 SPECI~b~ COUNCIL MEETING - JANUARY 24, 1978 (CONT'D.) CITY CLERK ASKED FOR AND RECEIVED PERMISSION FROM THE COUNCIL TO DISCUSS AN UP-COMING BIKE-A-THON. ST. JUDE'S CRIPPLED CHILDREN'S HOSPITAL APPROACHED THE CITY OF SEBASTIAN FOR PERMISSION TO HOLD A FUND-RAISING BIKE-A-THON. THERE WOULD BE NO OBLIGATION ON THE CITY, ONLY ASSISTANCE FROM THE POLICE DEPARTMENT, TO MAP A ROUTE SO THE PARTICi- PANTS COULD RIDE THEIR BICYCLES ON STREETS WITHOUT INTERRUPTING THE NORMAL FLOW OF TRAFFIC. THE POLICE CHIEF SAID AN IDEAL ROUTE COULD BE MAPPED OUT ON THE UNPOPULATED STREETS IN SEBASTIAN HIGHLANDS. MOTION BY COUNCILMAN JOACHIM, SECONDED BY VICE MAYOR GRAY, TO PERMIT BIKE-A-THON TO BE HELD IN THE CITY OF SEBASTIAN. CARRIED. MEETING ADJOURNED BY MAYOR FLOOD AT 2:10 P.M. Mayor - 3 -