911 Committee Votes In Larry Sanders For Part Time Position, Amid Opposition

BESSEMER, MI - by Keri Singleton - Sunday, February 28, 2010 - There was a Gogebic County Enhanced 911 Committee Meeting Thursday, February 25, 2010, at 1:00 PM at the Gogebic County Courthouse, Bessemer, Michigan, in the downstairs Conference Room.

The meeting was called to order at 1:00 PM

All were in favor of approving the Agenda.

There was a motion to take the minutes from 12-09-09 off the table so they could be approved. That motion passed unanimously.

The minutes from the 1-27-2010 meeting were approved after noting that the vote for chair and co-chair was not unanimous, but carried with one nay vote.

No citizens expressed an interest to address the committee.

BUDGET

As of Feb 19, 2010, the cash balance was $111,545.43. The budget was unanimously approved after a motion.

Part-Time Worker Jim Loeper told the committee that he has reached a decision on the part-time worker position. He said he received approximately twenty applications. Mr. Loeper said during the application process, he was approached by Sheriff Larry Sanders, who said he’d be interested in the part-time position. Sheriff Sanders is retiring as Sheriff in March, 2010, and could start April 1st, 2010. Loeper said he chose Sheriff Sanders as his assistant. He said Sheriff Sanders agreed with the pay and duties.

Ironwood City Manager Scott Erickson asked Chairman Loeper if Mr. Sanders had already been given the position, to which Mr. Loeper said yes. Scott said he was sure that Larry(Sanders) would do a very good job, but that government is given a bad reputation for appointing people. He told Mr. Loeper that typically a review process has to take place, to which Mr. Loeper assured him the correct process had taken place. Mr. Loeper said after weighing the final candidates, Mr. Sanders and a young woman, he felt that Sheriff Sanders would be a better fit. Jim said an interview process went on with the other candidates.

Ironwood Public Safety Director Robert Erspamer said he believes it is a terrible decision, as the Sheriff and himself have great jobs, and there is a high unemployment rate, and surely someone in need of a good part-time job. Director Erspamer said to give the position to a retired County Employee is a terrible decision. Jim Loeper said the committee could override his decision. He told the committee that with his other assistants, he did the hiring. Mr. Loeper said he interviewed ten of the twenty applicants. Sheriff Sanders could not be present because of a jury trial.

Scott Erickson asked if the position is mostly clerical, and Loeper said yes. Mr. Loeper said he asked himself who would be best fitted for the position. Jim said he worked with Larry since getting his position. He said often it happens in cities and townships where a retired official gets hired, and there is nothing in the county rules, or in the union contracts (that he is aware of), that would preclude this from happening. He told the committee again that they could accept or deny his decision. He said that the female applicant has 911 background, but he doesn’t know her. Loeper said he found out with his last two assistants that when you hire someone off the street you don’t know what you’re going to get. He said with Larry, he knows what he’s getting. Loeper said he serves at the pleasure of the committee.

A motion was made to accept Jim Loeper’s choice for the hiring of Larry Sanders for part-time 911 worker, and was supported. Ironwood City Manager Scott Erickson said he was not saying whether Larry Sanders is or isn’t right for the position, but that the process is somewhat in question. A roll call vote passed with 3 no’s and 1 abstention: Bennett: yes, Caudle: yes, Frederickson: yes, Giackino: yes, Grenfell: yes, Haven: yes, Kangas: yes, Loeper: yes, Morin: yes, Peterson: yes, Erickson: no, Erspamer: no, Wallenius: no, Cestkowski: abstain. Motion carried.

911 Plan--Gogebic County Dispatch

Jim Loeper distributed a template of a 911 plan, and a draft of a timeline (below). He said he expects to have a tentative 911 plan for Gogebic County to the 911 Committee by the end of March. He said he is looking at presenting the tentative 911 plan on April 14 to the County Board, regarding adopting Iron County, Michigan as their Primary PSAP. Loeper said that within five days, certified letters with a copy of the tentative 911 plan will be sent to every City and Township within Gogebic County, explaining to them the process of opening the plan, for their adoption or the opting out of the 911 plan, that would switch them to Iron County, Michigan. Loeper said he will then meet with the Townships and Cities at their regular meetings, and answer any questions they may have.

Then there has to be two public hearings, that would be 30 days prior to adopting the plan. July 14, 2010, would be 92 days of opening up the plan. They would most likely have their final public hearing before the County Board meeting of that day. There are procedures and paperwork to be preformed by cities and townships. If a City or Township wishes to opt out of the County Plan; prior to them opting out of the plan, they would have to do a public hearing within their jurisdiction before they voted on it.

Jim Loeper said he and the attorney are working on the final 911 plan. Doug Van Assen is the one who wrote the template of the 911 plan that was distributed.

If Ironwood or the Township opt out of the County plan, they will have to come up with a different plan. Much discussion ensued regarding funding. Loeper said, according to the attorney’s letter, that the County and the 911 Committee is ultimately responsible for funding. Jim Loeper said that there has been a case in Bark River, Delta County, where a township brought a suit against the County, saying they wanted a different PSAP, and lost. They wanted their portion of the County’s funds to pay for it, and the County said no. They brought suit against the County for funding, and lost. Loeper said the County does not have to use 911 funds to support Ironwood, or the Township, having different dispatch.

Ironwood Manager Erickson said that Ironwood’s preference is to stay with Negaunee.

Ironwood Public Safety Director Erspamer said that the officer’s preference is to stay with Negaunee. Jim Loeper said that Iron County Dispatchers go through the same training as Negaunee. The Attorney General’s Office currently is giving an opinion if the funds for the City and Township from the state would have to be distributed by the Committee and County Board to the City and Township, or if they could refuse to release funds.

Draft Time Line for opening 911 plan

April 14th 2010 County Board Adopts the Tentative 911 plan recommended from the 911 Committee and sets up a finial Public (90 days) Hearing on adopting the final 911 plan at the July 14th Meeting.

After the April 14th meeting the county clerk and the 911 coordinator will send a certified letter to every City, and Township within Gogebic County explaining to them the process of Opening the plan with a copy of the tentative 911 plan and what they would need to do if they do not agree or agree with the county direction to go with Iron Co. MI for primary PSAP. The 911 coordinator will be present at the city and townships board meetings to assist in this process and to answer any questions that they might have. Once the city or Townships have a chance to review the tentative 911 plan and chose to opt out of the county plans, they will need to have a public meeting of their city, or township. Once this is done if the city or township still wishes to opt out of the plan they must notify the county board with in the 45 days of opening the plan. If they agree to the plan they would send the county a Notice of Intent as a PSAP.

The county clerk must post a Notice of Public Hearing twice once 30 days and then sometime within that 30 days before adopting the final plan

On July 14th the county board would meet and vote on the new final 911 plan for the Primary PSAP.

A motion was made to accept the timeline for the opening of the 911 plan and was supported. Motion passed with three nays: Erickson, Wallenius, and Erspamer.

EQUIPMENT

Jim Loeper said that all needed radio equipment has been ordered. Of the two needed W-9 radios for the transition to Iron County, one looks like at least one will be paid for through a grant. The cost of the radios is over $6,000. He also said there will be no problem getting radio ID’s for the radios, according to the State.

OTHER MATTERS

According to a Paul Rogers report, the Committee must decide in May on the surcharge: whether to increase it, lower it, or leave it as it is. The recommendation by Mr. Rogers is to increase it to $1.65. Jim Loeper said he is not saying that it should or should not happen, but to think about it.

PUBLIC COMMENTS

Citizen Louise Demasi asked for argument’s sake, what would happen if the Attorney General’s office disagrees with the opinion that 911 funds are a local issue. Jim Loeper said that he predicts if the Attorney General disagrees with their attorney‘s opinion that the funds are a local issue, and the County goes with their attorney, that the City Of Ironwood would sue the County and there would be a trial to decide the funds distribution. If the City lost, they could appeal at the Attorney General’s Office through a decision made in the Appellate Court. Jim said the state allows them to set a surcharge for 911. Louise Demasi also said that while she agrees with the decision to hire Mr. Sanders, she thinks what they did and how they did it was wrong. She said as a business person, she hears complaints about tremendous city pensions, and they will hear about it. She was told it would be brought up at the next meeting.

NEXT MEETING TO BE ANNOUNCED

MEETING ADJOURNED.