1g. Chanhassen Fire Dept: Response to Audit.1
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CITY OF JU
CHANHASSEN
690 COULTER DRIVE • P.O. BOX 147 • CHANHASSEN, MINNESOTA 55317
(612) 937 -1900 • FAX (612) 937 -5739
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MEMORANDUM
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TO:
Mayor and City Council
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FROM:
Don Ashworth, City Manager
DATE:
June 19, 1996
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SUBJ:
Response to Audit Comment, Chanhassen Fire Department
1 We have received a draft of the Management Report which typically accompanies the audit itself.
One of the recommendations deal with the Fire Department (see attached). Typically, staff will
1 submit "Management's Response" back to Deloitte & Touche on each particular item. On this
item I hesitated in responding to the Deloitte comment in that the proper course of action appears
to be outside of the realm of an administrative duty. Specifically, I believe that the response
1 should be one of recommending that the questions posed by the auditors be responded to by the
Public Safety Commission after reviewing how other volunteer fire departments have avoided
these types of issues. Deloitte has provided me a list of volunteer fire departments which have
1 been restructured so as to best utilize the volunteer capabilities of firemen while not forcing them
into carrying out the more mundane day -to -day which are required to be completed if you are
going to officially operate a fire department.
1 RECOMMENDATION
1 This office would recommend that this item be submitted to the Public Safety Commission and
they be requested to prepare a study of suggestions which would alleviate the concerns raised by
1 the city auditors. If the city council approves this recommendation, the "Management Response"
section will show the city council's action.
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GAmgr \fdaudit
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Duties of the Volunteer Fire Fighting Depanmenr. ,
Observation. '
The City currently uses volunteers for first responder and fire fighting services. Using volunteers is the
most cost effective means to provide these services. As a result, most of the administrative duties such as '
purchasing, maintaining fixed assets, keeping records of the pension plan, and ensuring thaz tlw fire-
fighters have met the proper education requirements are also the responsibility of the volunteers. These
duties are beyond the reasonable expectations of volunteers. '
Recommendation_
Due to the growth in the size of the City and the related reporting and operational demands placed on the '
fire department, we recommend that an administrative staff with the appropriate background be added to
the current staff. '
Management Response;
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