CC WS 2021 10 25CHANHASSEN CITY COUNCIL
WORK SESSION
MINUTES
OCTOBER 25, 2021
Mayor Ryan called the work session to order at 5:30 p.m.
COUNCIL MEMBERS PRESENT: Mayor Ryan, Councilwoman Rehm, Councilman
McDonald, and Councilwoman Schubert.
COUNCIL MEMBERS ABSENT: Councilman Campion.
STAFF PRESENT: Laurie Hokkanen, City Manager; Matt Unmacht, Assistant City Manager;
Kelly Strey, Finance Director; Don Johnson, Fire Chief; and Kim Meuwissen, City Clerk.
PUBLIC PRESENT: None.
FIRE DEPARTMENT STAFFING PLAN
Fire Chief Don Johnson presented a PowerPoint presentation (attached to staff report for this
item) in response to the question from the October 11, 2021 budget presentation asking for a plan
for the $60K earmarked for the Fire Department. Chief Johnson presented the Fire Department’s
goals to maintain the Paid-on-Call (POC) model and to assure consistent, stable response to the
community regardless of the time of day. He provided a staffing timeline showing the changes
from 2002 to 2020. Current staffing levels as well as the current duty crew schedule were also
reviewed, with special attention given to weekday scheduling and call response between 8am to
4pm, Monday through Friday. Areas of concern including the following:
• Staffing availability for day response has changed dramatically in a few short months
• An average call takes approximately one hour to respond, return, and report
• 30% of the call load is daytime calls
• Fire Chief and Fire Marshal have significant responsibilities outside of call response
• Code Enforcement Specialist (CES) will have significant duties outside of call response
• Administrative/Firefighter position has responsibilities outside of call response
• Retention concerns due to staffing shortage impacts
• Increased dependence on Mutual Aid
• Hours of 6am to 8am, Monday through Friday are problematic
• City-recognized holidays
• Hours of 4pm to 6pm, Monday through Friday are not covered
• POC staff not available for daytime duty crews
Chief Johnson provided three options to improve day coverage: daytime duty crew with existing
POC; hire part-time firefighters for day response; add full-time day responders. He reviewed the
phases of each option including their triggers, coverage and budget impacts. Current and
proposed staffing in comparable cities was also presented.
Discussion:
• The use of American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) funds was discussed. Currently under an
interim rule. Waiting for a final rule.
City Council Work Session Minutes – October 25, 2021
2
• How would the internal hiring affect the POC duty crew? It would take two people out of
that.
• The proposed full-time positions are not in the budget. Where will the money come
from? At this time the positions are not currently budgeted. Just presenting the future
staffing plan at this time.
• Are the proposed full-time positions actually considered full time at four days a week? It
would be four 10-hours days a week in order to provide adequate coverage in the 6am-
8am time period.
• What is the advantage of hiring two full-time responders as opposed to multiple part-time
responders? There would be more stability, fewer training costs, and fewer competition
issues between POC and the new class of part-time employee.
• Is it being suggested that we need to move toward full-time staffing? What we have now
is a combination department and we do not want to get rid of POC. It is important to
communicate with fire staff to show them what is available; however, the work force will
dictate what we can and cannot do. If we can’t hire people to cover the open spots, we
have to get creative. Additional full-time positions will provide incentive to the newer,
younger fire fighters to fill these positions in the future. Chief Johnson again reviewed
the phases and the triggers for each phase as well as what is happening in surrounding
fire departments.
Mayor Ryan thanked Fire Chief Johnson for his presentation and suggested that Council should
reach out to Laurie Hokkanen if they had other questions.
FUTURE WORK SESSION SCHEDULE
The meeting adjourned at 6:55 p.m.
Submitted and prepared by Kim Meuwissen
City Clerk