8.2. SR 03-18-2013 - Laserfiche WebLink

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