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FIRE SERVICE TASK FORCE
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<br /> D On Monday, February 6, 2012, the Elk River City Council formed the Fire Service Task
<br /> 0 Force (Task Force). The primary goal of the Task Force was to develop a strategic
<br /> 0 plan for the Elk River Fire Department and to lay the foundation for meeting the
<br /> h service needs of the community with respect to fire/rescue capabilities and code
<br /> enforcement/fire prevention.
<br /> This action marked the beginning of a journey to create, what is now, a five-year
<br /> strategic planning document. Over the course of a year, the Task Force met to discuss
<br /> the past, present and future fire department. Unlike many strategic planning initiatives,
<br /> this project was coordinated, facilitated and completed by members of the Task Force.
<br /> While it is not uncommon for agencies to hire outside consultants, the Task Force
<br /> implemented a best practices approach to leading discussions, evaluating the
<br /> department's current capabilities and drafting initiatives for the future. In the end, this
<br /> approach saved considerable tax dollars while yielding actionable results.
<br /> The Team
<br /> The City Council approved the creation of a 10-member Task Force, representative of
<br /> elected officials, city administration, fire department employees and outside agencies.
<br /> Phil Collins, District Chief Dave King, Firefighter
<br /> T.John Cunningham, Fire Chief Joseph Libor, Firefighter
<br /> Chris Curtis, Captain Ron Nierenhausen, Police Captain
<br /> John J. Dietz, Mayor Timothy Simon, Finance Director
<br /> Jerry Gumphrey, Councilmember Jerry Streich, Outside Fire Chief
<br /> The city administrator, Calvin Portner, and human resources representative, Lauren
<br /> Wipper, served as ad-hoc members of the Task Force.
<br /> Planning Methodology
<br /> In order for any business or organization to be successful, it must have a plan. The
<br /> organization that has a clear direction, is aware of its environment and demographics,
<br /> and has a map as a guide to reach its destination, will have the best chance of meeting
<br /> the needs of its stakeholders and customers.
<br /> As a public entity, we are charged with carrying out the mission of the organization in a
<br /> fiscally responsible manner. In times of greater economic uncertainty, it is more
<br /> imperative than ever that personnel and resources are allocated where they have the
<br /> greatest impact and that government operations are as efficient, streamlined and cost
<br /> effective as possible - all the while maintaining the level of service that the community
<br /> expects. In many respects, the "new normal" is constantly changing and evolving.
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