HomeMy WebLinkAboutMinutes 02-14-2022911 COMMUNICATIONS OVERSIGHT COMMITTEE February 14, 2022
At a Regular Meeting of the 911 Communications Oversight Committee on Monday,
February 14, 2022, at 1:30 p.m., in the Commission Chambers of City Hall located at 300 South 5th
Street. The following Committee members were present: Edwin Jones, Dr. Irvin Smith, Carol Gault,
Jewel Jones and Kevin Kauffeld (5). Chairperson Kevin Kauffeld presided.
Also present were Police Chief Brian Laird; Fire Chief Steve Kyle; Finance Director Jon Perkins;
Communications Manager Pam Spencer; City Manager Daron Jordan; Doug Cooper, Hendron Fire
Department; Donald Elrod, West McCracken Fire; Robert Smith, Motorola; Ryan Norman, McCracken
County Sheriff’s Department, Larry Freeman, Lone Oak Fire Department, Stacy Blankenship, Attorney
at Law.
City Clerk Lindsay Parish could not attend. Assistant City Clerk Claudia Meeks attended in her place
and took the meeting minutes.
APPROVE MINUTES
Commissioner Carol Gault offered motion, seconded by Commissioner Jewel Jones to approve minutes
for January 24, 2022. All in favor.
GOVERNANCE
Stacey Blankenship was present to present information related to the governance of 911. Specifically,
Commissioner Jones’ inquiries regarding whether or not a joint City/County board could hire the Police
Department or the McCracken County Sherriff to control 911. Stacy has represented 911 since 1998.
Stacy suggested that the city continue the day-to-day operation of 911, with the Board being comprised
of law enforcement personnel. The Committee discussed having a 5-member Board – two members
being appointed by the Mayor (one being the Chief of Police; two members being appointed by the
Judge Executive (one being the McCracken County Sheriff), and one member being a Joint
appointment. Stacy will update the agreement that she has worked on in the past and provide it to
Lindsay Parish, who can distribute to the Committee.
UPGRADES
Federal Engineering will join the February 28 meeting via virtual meeting.
Chief Laird asked that a point person be established for contact from Federal Engineering.
If there are any additional questions that need to be addressed, Chief Laird asked that those questions be
directed to him so he can forward the Federal Engineering.
The Committee decided to defer any discussion regarding upgrades until after the February 28 Federal
Engineering presentation.
FUNDING
Several cases regarding 911 utility fees are pending before different courts (Campbell County has a case
pending before the Supreme Court; Hardin County has a case pending before the Court of Appeals;
Marshall County has a case that is supposed to go to trial this summer.)
Stacy Blankenship pointed out that in her research she discovered that if a fee is based on water meters it
911 COMMUNICATIONS OVERSIGHT COMMITTEE February 14, 2022
requires PSE approval, if it is just a charge on the water bill, no approval is needed.
How do you spread it out so that the burden is borne equally? If it’s a parcel fee, only the people that
own real estate would be subject to payment. How would you collect an address fee on rental property?
If you assess a fee on water usage, how would you collect on the households in the county that have a
well. How do you spread it out so that the burden is borne equally?
The Committee requested that the City Clerk’s Office contact Paducah Water to find out a water meter
count.
DISCUSSION
The Committee discussed the following needs, information and next steps:
Chairperson Kauffeld felt that it might not be prudent to have Stacy in attendance at the February 28
meeting, since the bulk of that meeting will be the presentation by Federal Engineering. Stacy will
compile all the information requested and send it to Lindsay Parish for distribution prior to the February
28 meeting.
Lindsay Parish will set up the equipment for the Zoom meeting with Federal Engineering on February
28 at 1:30 p.m.
FOLLOW-UP INFORMATION & ANSWERS TO QUESTIONS
The Committee had the following questions:
#10 – How may real estate parcels do not have a water meter? The City Clerk’s Office will contact
Paducah Water for more information.
#13 – Who established the five tower minimum? Chief Kyle explained that the five tower minimum
was established so that we could meet the National Standard of 95% reliability. Federal Engineering
that go into detail.
#16 – What is the benefit to the county fire departments to move from the current VHF system to
the 800 system? Dr. Smith will get in touch with area volunteer fire department Chiefs to gather
information on their current system. He will report that information back to Chief Brian Laird.
The Committee members will develop their questions for Federal Engineering and send to Chairperson
Kauffeld to compile.
ADJOURN
Mr. Jewel Jones offered motion, seconded by Commissioner Carol Gault to adjourn the meeting. All in
favor. Meeting adjourned at 2:37 p.m.
ADOPTED: February 28, 2022