Public Safety Committee - Regular Meeting

I'm gonna call to order the May 12 PFC meeting. Roll call, we are all present. Public comment, there is no one here from the public. Going over the consent agenda, are there any changes to the minutes at all? No, not me. Police Department monthly report?

Yeah, I reviewed the, the monthly reports. There is no major changes in it from last year. Calls for service were down about 50 through April, for the month of April. Ordinance citations were down about 15 from last April. Field warnings around, let's say 70, as

well

as traffic citations are down about 40. Other than that, there's really nothing else to point out unless you have any questions.

Fire department?

Yeah, in reviewing our statistics or metrics, nothing out of the ordinary. Basically we're right on par with last year and averaging pretty much the same across all the months for 2026. With right now through April, a total of eighteen fifty EMS, three zero four fire calls for a total of 2,154 calls on the year. So like I said, nothing out of the ordinary.

Can you go I don't know if this is page one. Yes. Mhmm. Under the spot that says budget, you got monthly expenses, and it says 29.12%.

Now you

said 29.12% represent?

That represents of the twenty twenty twenty six budget, 29.1% of that budget used thus far this year.

So one third of the budget and?

By yeah. Through the April. We'll say May 1. Mhmm. Correct.

And you have a building inspection?

Correct. Yep. Building inspection. In reviewing their and talking with the building inspector supervisor, really nothing out of the ordinary. And it's fairly, we'll say pretty much on par with 2025 numbers but the biggest thing he said is that with the weather spring breaking that obviously they've seen an increase in some of the permit activity and things like that. Otherwise again nothing that jumps out either more or less it's pretty much on par with what 2025 was.

Any questions, gentlemen? No. Can someone make a motion to approve the consent agenda? So moved. Second. Any discussion? Hearing none, all in favor say

aye. Aye.

Opposed? So moved. And we have item 26 Dash0423 fire department battalion chief eligibility list?

Yes. So on Friday, May 8, we held interviews for the position of battalion chief, which was, let's say, opened up due to Jeremy Wagner getting promote or his pending his promotion to assistant chief. So we held interviews and we had five internal applicants and the interviews went well. We had fire chiefs from surrounding cities that are listed there. And I would like to take these five people and put them on a list request that they be put on a list good for six months.

So your contract with the firefighters is lieutenant position has to be done by seniority. Correct? Correct. Does that also apply to this?

Nope. These are exempt employees, so they are not part of any contract at all.

So is there a reason why member of the commission was not present for interviews?

In discussing it with chief Blazer, it was felt that at that time we didn't we didn't need it because it was part of the fire department. I guess not a chief or assistant chief position. So we felt getting the chiefs from the from the city of Sheboygan to appear in Grand Chute to help validate that was what we needed to do.

More of a middle management position.

Yeah, it's more of a middle management position. Perfect.

We currently participate with the police department for all interviews, which is kind of nice in the sense that when it comes to the commission for approval, one of the members of the commission can speak that they are comfortable with the choices that we're all agreeing on. So I would ask in the future that you involve a member of the commission. Okay.

I would disagree. First of Mike, understand what you're saying. It's my position that that's not required or mandatory. So you have to have some confidence in your department to figure that out. So but I agree with chief and assistant chief. That's a whole different matter. But when you're dealing with middle management, I just don't see the need for that. My point is if they ask us fine, but I don't think the statute requires that.

No, the statute doesn't require it, but it's a bonus in for the chiefs it helps how would I say chief usual use it all the time. There's a little bit of when the other employee that doesn't get hired, it's like it's chief doesn't like me. It's it brings kind of like a fairness to where there's an outside party who's present. Mean, I you're doing that with the chiefs, but when you're bringing it to the commission for approval

So I'll say that's why we use the other chiefs and not to they're kind of subject matter experts with with these positions. Correct. And that's why we let them conduct or I should say we let them they they led the interviews and made their comments to provide that hopefully unbiased opinion on the members that they're evaluating to kind of give that give that opinion so that when that happens it's not like you said it's not that the chief or assistant chief doesn't like me. No. Here's what they here's what they saw.

So I guess I'd look at it as those chiefs leave and don't know what happens after they leave for the most part. And if you have a commissioner present, then you have someone that's here saying I was present. I'm satisfied with this list. Nothing sticks out. It gives this commission something to do. If we didn't do police department interviews, you could mail out the stats every month and until somebody files a complaint with what the commission handles.

That's basically what your role is?

It is for the most part. Yes. If I've you gone to the seminars for the police commissioners, fire commissioners, and they take an active role. That's a management role.

That's all that that's that's just so, you know, from having been on a WPPA, we we don't always agree what they tell you. Not I'm gonna argue with your opinion. I just slough your money. I'm comfortable with the way it's been done.

That's all I'm

saying. Okay. I'll

just say it mandatory, not mandatory. I mean, it it is it gives us an opportunity to get to know

That too.

Some, you know, some other department people that in the future might be in the line for other succession, and it just gives us some history that that, you know, building relationships. Well, they gather all the background information on their employees. That's the bottom line. So but Yeah. I'm not gonna argue the point. You understand my position. I mean, Mike, if wanna go all the interviews, you have Adam.

I'm hoping commissioners will share the work. They're working. Well, when they're not working.

Okay. Let's move along.

Please. So anyway, that's the that's the that's the request is that these internal members that interview be placed on the list that's been for six months.

So moved. Second.

Any further discussion? All in favor say aye. Aye. Opposed? So moved. Motion for adjournment. Move to adjourn. Second. All in favor say aye. Aye. So moved.

Thank you.