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WE HAVE,[Public Safety Committee on November 14, 2022.]
UH, A PUBLIC SAFETY COMMITTEE MEETING AND, UH, EVERYBODY'S PRESENT.ANY QUESTIONS? UH, WE NEED TO APPROVE THE MINUTES OF THE LAST MEETING.
WE APPROVE THE MINUTES FROM THE JUNE 6TH, 2022 MEETING.
PASS THE I, UH, NUMBER TWO ITEM WE'RE GONNA HAVE TODAY IS A REAL CONSIDERATION OF THE REVIEW AND DISCUSS FIRE INSPECTION FEES.
THIS WAS BROUGHT UP A LONG TIME AGO AND, UH, I'M GLAD WE ARE ALL HERE TODAY AND, UH, WE'LL GET THIS OVER WITH CHIEF.
YOU WANT TO START IT? YES, SIR.
UM, COMMITTEE CHAIR AND COUNCIL FOLKS THAT ARE HERE TODAY, THANK YOU FOR THE OPPORTUNITY.
CHIEF BRIAN, THANKS FOR THE OPPORTUNITY TO BE HERE TODAY.
AND, UH, THANK YOU FOR YOUR PRESENCE AS WELL.
UM, AS YOU SAID, THIS HAS BEEN A, A LONG TIME COMING, UH, WORKING THROUGH A LOT OF CHALLENGES WITH IT.
UH, BUT WHAT WE'RE HERE TODAY TO TALK ABOUT IS FOLLOW UP TO THE FIRE INSPECTION AND FIRE MARSHAL'S OFFICE AUDIT.
THAT WAS DONE SEVERAL, SEVERAL YEARS AGO, UH, AND WORKED THROUGH A LOT OF THE CHALLENGES THAT CAME OUT OF THAT AUDIT AND A LOT OF THE RECOMMENDATIONS.
SO, UH, WITHOUT ANYTHING FURTHER, WE'RE GONNA JUMP RIGHT IN AND TALK ABOUT, UM, WHAT BROUGHT US HERE.
INTERNAL AUDIT IDENTIFIED THE NEED FOR AN IMPROVED METHOD OF FIRE INSPECTION FEE COLLECTIONS IN FINDING NUMBER THREE, ACTION PLAN.
PART ONE WAS TO TRANSITION TO A ANNUAL OPERATIONAL PERMIT.
SO IN THAT CASE, ALL BUSINESSES IN THE CITY OF GARLAND WOULD BASICALLY PAY A FEE TO OPERATE A BUSINESS IN GARLAND EACH YEAR.
UH, PART TWO WAS TO WORK WITH REVENUE RECOVERY TO ASSIST WITH BUILDING AND COLLECTION.
UH, THE, WE MET WITH COREY IN REVENUE, UH, RECOVERY AND, UM, IT WAS DETERMINED THAT THEY'RE NOT REALLY SET UP TO, TO MANAGE THIS TYPE OF SERVICE.
THEY'RE, THEY'RE TAX COLLECTING AND STUFF LIKE THAT, AND THEY DO IT REALLY, REALLY WELL.
BUT FOR OPERATIONAL PERMIT BILLING, THE RECEPTION OF IT, THE PAYMENTS OF IT, TRACKING IT ALL, THEY'D HAVE TO HAVE A THIRD PARTY SOFTWARE SYSTEM TO, TO MANAGE IT AND PROBABLY SOME MORE STAFFING.
SO WE DECIDED THAT THAT PROBABLY WAS NOT THE BEST WAY TO GO.
UH, WHICH LED US TO, UH, THE, THE NEXT STEPS.
AND WE MET WITH, UH, COUNCILMAN WILLIAMS ON THIS ONE.
UH, WE TALKED WITH OTHER COMPARATIVE CITIES, CHIEF LOVETT DID TO SEE HOW THEY MANAGED THEIR INSPECTION FEE, BILLING AND COLLECTION.
WE FOUND THAT MOST OF THEM DON'T, UH, THEY DON'T MANAGE IT OR THEY DON'T BILL, OR EVEN SOME OF THEM AREN'T DOING FIRE SAFETY INSPECTIONS.
THEY'RE SPENDING ALL OF THEIR TIME DOING NEW CONSTRUCTION INSPECTIONS, WHICH IS ALL PART OF YOUR PERMITTING FEES.
SO, UM, WE TOOK IT TO SOME AGENCIES THAT DO EMS BILLING AND ASKED THEM IF THEY WOULD BE SET UP TO DO FIRE BILLING AS WELL AS WELL.
AND WE FOUND THAT SOME WERE, UH, AVAILABLE FOR THAT TYPE SERVICES.
WE SPOKE WITH THE MERGE CON FIRE RECOVERY IMAGE TREND, UH, COST RECOVERY, RX AND EMERGENCY SOLUTIONS INCORPORATED, AND WE'LL COVER THOSE.
I'VE GOT 'EM OUT OF ORDER IN THE, THE COVERAGE HERE.
BUT FIRE RECOVERY, THEIR FEE IS A $16 95 CENT PER PAID INVOICE COLLECTED.
THEY BOAST A COLLECTION PERCENTAGE OF 94%.
THEY'RE USED BY FARMER'S BRANCH IN TYLER.
MOST OF OUR INVOICES ARE SMALLER BUSINESSES WHERE WE'RE ONLY BILLING $50 TO BEGIN WITH, SO WE WOULD EAT UP A CHUNK OF THAT, UM, THROUGH THAT PROCESS WITH THEM.
THEIR FEE WAS 18% OF COLLECTIONS.
UH, THEY BOAST A COLLECTION RATE OF 92% AND THEY'RE CURRENTLY USED BY WATAUGA AND COLLEGE STATION EMERGENCY SOLUTIONS.
THEY'RE SET UP TO DO IT, BUT ONLY THROUGH THEIR SOFTWARE.
AND WE DON'T HAVE THEIR SOFTWARE IMAGE TREND IS THE SOFTWARE THAT WE DO HAVE, BUT THEY ONLY CONDUCT, UH, EMERGENCY MEDICAL SERVICES COLLECTIONS ARE NOT SET UP TO DO FIRE INSPECTION COLLECTION.
COST RECOVERY DIDN'T GIVE US A RESPONSE.
SO OUR RECOMMENDATION IS TO COORDINATE WITH THE CITY OF GARLAND PURCHASING DEV, UH, TO DEVELOP AN RFP TO GO OUT FOR THIS TYPE SERVICES WITH THESE VENDORS THAT WE'VE, WE'VE LISTED TODAY, OR TO SEEK AN OPPORTUNITY
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TO COORDINATE WITH ANOTHER CITY WITH THROUGH AN ILA.AND IF WE CAN DO AN ILA, UH, WE WOULD PROBABLY RECOMMEND GOING TOWARDS, UH, THE EMERGING FIRE, UM, PRODUCT WITH THE 18% COLLECTION RATE.
SO NO MATTER THE SIZE OF THE, THE INVOICE THAT WE'RE BUILDING, WE WOULD ONLY BE BILLED BACK TO US 18%.
SO, UM, AND WITH THAT, WE'LL TAKE ANY QUESTIONS.
SO WHAT IS YOUR FIRE INSPECTION FEE? 50.
IT'S ANYWHERE FROM $50 TO WHAT'S OUR HIGH END, HIGH END 250 I BELIEVE.
IS THAT BASED ON THE SIZE OF THE BUSINESS? IT IS.
SO, UM, HAVE YOU CONSIDERED JUST TACKING ON WHATEVER FEE WE WILL BE CHARGED FOR COLLECTIONS ON TOP OF OUR BASE FEE? OR DO YOU WANNA INCLUDE IT, BUT THEN THEY WOULD COLLECT ANOTHER 18% OF THAT AND FINDING THAT DELTA WHERE IT WORKS OUT WOULD BE ANOTHER CHALLENGE? ALL AND OF ITSELF, UH, STAFF TIME, WE LOOKED AT INTERNALLY BILLING THIS, BUT WE LOOKED AT THE AMOUNT OF STAFF TIME THAT WOULD BE INVOLVED AND STUFFING ENVELOPES, SENDING THESE INVOICES OUT, GETTING THE INVOICES BACK, UH, TRACKING WHO IS PAID, WHO HASN'T PAID WOULD PROBABLY BE ANOTHER FULL-TIME EQUIVALENT.
SO WE WOULD RATHER JUST TURF THESE OUT.
SIMILAR TO WHAT WE DO WITH OUR EMS BILLING, OUR AMBULANCE BILLING IS A PERCENTAGE COLLECTIONS AS WELL.
SO WHAT THEY COLLECT, THEY, THEY, THEY HOLD BACK A PERCENTAGE OF, OF THAT FEE.
SO DON'T THE EMS BILLS SHOW UP OR THE FEES SHOW UP ON THE UTILITY BILLS? NO, MA'AM.
THERE, THERE IS A COMPONENT ON THE UTILITY BILL THAT'S AN EMS, UH, FEE THAT IS TIED TO THE WATER METER.
EACH, EACH WATER CUSTOMER IN THE CITY IS ASSESSED $3 PER MONTH FOR AN EMS FEE, BUT THAT IS JUST A BASE FEE.
IF YOU GO TO THE HOSPITAL AND ARE TRANSPORTED, THERE'S ADDITIONAL FEES ON TOP OF THAT.
AND THEN I'VE, I'VE OWNED A BUSINESS WHERE PEOPLE COME IN AND INSPECT THE, UM, THE FIRE EXTINGUISHERS MM-HMM.
SO IS THERE ANY WAY TO DO THAT? I MEAN, I, I, I CAN SEE THE NOT WANTING TO HAVE THE MARSHALS OR WHOMEVER GOES OUT THERE IN CHARGE OF COLLECTING A CHECK, BUT WE DID THAT IN THE PAST.
OH, DID YOU? WE WOULD, WE WOULD GO OUT AND, AND ASSESS THE FEE AND THEY, THEY COULD WAIT AND BE INVOICED FOR IT OR THEY COULD PAY IT ON SITE.
UM, AND THAT'S WHERE WE RUN INTO TROUBLE.
THAT'S YOU KIND OF, WHICH ONES PAID, WHICH ONES DIDN'T PAY.
THE OTHER THINGS THAT CAME OUT IN THIS AUDIT WERE, UM, THERE WERE TIMES THAT A FEE WAS BEING WAIVED AND WE WEREN'T REAL SURE WHY IT WAS BEING WAIVED.
SO THERE WAS OPPORTUNITY THERE FOR FRAUD.
SO THE AUDITOR'S RECOMMENDATIONS WERE TO DO IT ALL OUTSIDE OF THE ACTUAL INSPECTION.
AND I FILTERED A FEW PHONE CALLS FROM FOLKS THAT, UM, IN THEIR WORDS, WHAT KIND OF SHAKEDOWN ARE Y'ALL RUNNING? MM-HMM.
AND SO THAT THEY FELT LIKE IT WAS A SHAKEDOWN TYPE OPERATION.
UM, WITH THE FIRE EXTINGUISHERS, UM, THE BUSINESS OWNER REQUEST THAT VENDOR TO COME INSPECT THEIR EXTINGUISHERS, THEY DON'T REQUEST US COMING IN.
SO WE, WE BARGE IN, WE TRY TO SCHEDULE WHEN WE CAN, BUT, BUT AT THE END OF THE DAY, WE'RE THERE TO DO A FIRE SAFETY INSPECTION.
WE DO ASSESS A FEE WITH IT, UH, WHEN WE DO IT, BUT, UM, IT'S, THE AUDITORS FOUND IT WOULD BE BETTER IF WE CHANGED OUR OPERATION FROM COLLECTING ONSITE.
I MEAN, I FEEL LIKE IT SHOULD BE KIND OF A SURPRISE
UH, EVEN THE CHIEF AND STAFF AND ALL THE CHIEFS SITTING IN ROOM, UH, IT'S BEEN A MINUTE.
SO IF I, IF I GET SOMETHING WRONG MEMORY, CORRECT ME.
UM, NOW ARE FIRE INSPECTIONS OR ARE THEY PRE ANNOUNCED OR ARE THEY JUST, WE KINDA JUST SHOW UP? DO WE SCHEDULE THEM? DOES THE BID KNOW WE ARE COMING? MOST OF THE TIME THE BUSINESSES DON'T KNOW THAT WE'RE, THEY DON'T KNOW WE ARE COMING NOW.
THERE ARE A FEW, YOU KNOW, INSTANCES WHERE WE'VE TRIED AND WE'VE TRIED AND WE'VE TRIED AND WE HAVE TO LEAVE A NOTE BECAUSE GETTING IN WITH THEM KNOWING IS BETTER.
BUT FOR THE MOST PART, WE JUST SHOW UP AND INSPECT UNANNOUNCED.
SOME OF THE SMALLER CHURCHES WHERE
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THE, THE STAFF ARE NOT THERE MONDAY THROUGH MONDAY, THEY'RE THERE ON SUNDAY OR WEDNESDAY EVENINGS.UH, THOSE TYPE ACY, WE WILL SCHEDULED TO MEET THEM OUT THERE AT A CONVENIENT TIME FOR THEM AND US TO, TO DO THOSE TYPE INSPECTIONS.
UH, SOME OF THE NIGHT ONLY BUSINESSES, WE DO THE SAME THING WITH THEM, BUT WE DO ATTEMPT TO SHOW UP UNANNOUNCED, SO.
ON, ON A SCALE OF ONE TO 10, ON THE UNANNOUNCED VISITS, WHAT DO YOU SAY IS THE PUBLIC FEEDBACK PUBLIC A RESPONSE TO US SHOWING UP, DOING THESE INSPECTION ON, SAY, ON A SCALE OF ONE TO 10, WHAT KIND WOULD YOU RANK THE PUBLIC'S? AND WHEN I SAY PUBLIC, I'M TALKING ABOUT THE CUSTOMERS, THE FOLKS THAT YOU, THAT YOU'RE INSPECTING.
WHAT, ON A SCALE OF ONE TO 10, WHAT WOULD YOU PUT GENERALLY THEIR, THEIR THEIR, UM, RECEPTIVITY TO, THAT'S, THAT'S WHAT I'M LOOKING FOR.
WE SHOW UP DURING THEIR LUNCH RUSH, THEY'RE NOT VERY HAPPY.
AND, AND THEREFORE WE TRY NOT TO DO THAT.
WE TRY TO SHOW UP DURING THEIR NORMAL BUSINESS HOURS.
UH, THE INSPECTORS TRY TO EVALUATE THE, THE FLOW OF TRAFFIC THROUGH, IF IT'S A LARGE OPERATION LIKE CRAFT MM-HMM.
AND A LOT OF TIMES THOSE ARE SCHEDULED SO THAT WE CAN BE WITH OUR SAFETY DIRECTORS, WE GO THROUGH.
UH, SO ON THE SCALE OF COMPLAINTS THAT I GET FROM, AS A FIRE CHIEF, I DON'T HEAR VERY MANY OF THAT.
OUR INSPECTORS ARE PASTOR OR SHOWING UP AT BAD TIMES, SO WE REALLY HAVEN'T MEASURED THAT, THAT, THAT BENCHMARK.
BUT, UM, I WOULD SAY THAT THEY'RE PROBABLY, AND THIS IS SIMPLY A GUESS, I WOULD PUT IT PROBABLY A SEVEN OR EIGHT CUZ WE DON'T HEAR COMPLAINTS ABOUT IT.
WHAT ABOUT FROM OUR FAITH COMMUNITY? YOU MENTIONED CHURCHES AND WE GOT A LOT, LOT OF, WE GOT A LOT OF CHURCHES IN GO.
A LOT OF THEM OF VARIETY OF SIZES AND EVERYTHING.
SO WHAT, HOW WOULD YOU, HOW WOULD YOU, WHERE WOULD YOU, WHERE WOULD YOU RANK, AND THOSE ARE THE ONES IN INCONVENIENT TIMES, YOU CATCH UP ON WEDNESDAY AND A LOT OF THE CHURCHES DON'T HAVE FULL-TIME STAFF WHERE YOU'VE GOT PEOPLE THERE DURING THE DAY.
WHAT'S BEEN, WHAT'S BEEN OUR, WHAT'S BEEN THERE SORT OF FEEDBACK TO YOU? I'D SAY THE MOST, FOR THE MOST PART, SAME THING.
YOU KNOW, WHEN WE TRY IN THAT INSTANCE TO WORK WITH THE CHURCH, AND, UH, I HAVE YET, THAT DOESN'T MEAN IT HASN'T HAPPENED, BUT I HAVE YET TO HEAR ANYTHING ABOUT A CHURCH BEING UPSET ABOUT US WANTING TO DO AN INSPECTION OF THEIR PLAYS.
I MEAN, THAT'S AN PRETTY IMPORTANT PLACE TO INSPECT WITH ALL THE FOLKS THAT ARE GONNA BE THERE ON THE WEEKEND.
WHAT ABOUT THE FEE ITSELF FROM, FROM OUR, OUR CHURCHES? WHAT YOU GETTING IN RESPONSE? ARE WE CHARGING, ARE WE COLLECTING A FEE FROM OUR CHURCHES? YES, WE DO DO, IN RESPONSE TO THAT, WE'RE NOT HEARING ANY NEGATIVE, UH, ABOUT THE FEES ASSOCIATED WITH THE FIRE INSPECTION.
I KNOW IN YEARS PAST, UH, WHEN THEY WANTED TO DO A A, A SUMMER SOCIAL OR REVIVAL OR SOMETHING, THEY NEEDED TENT PERMITS.
I KNOW IN THE PAST WE HAD HEARD COMPLAINTS ABOUT CHARITABLE ORGANIZATIONS AND CIVIC ORGANIZATIONS AND THEIR PERMIT FEES.
AND WE DO HAVE THE OPTION TO WAIVE PERMITTING FEES.
BUT, BUT THE INSPECTION FEES, WE'VE NOT HAD ANY NEGATIVE FEEDBACK ON BILLING FOR, FOR THOSE SERVICES.
AND, AND, AND LASTLY, I LIKE THE, I LIKE THE RECOMMENDATION OF GOING OUT WITH AN RFP.
TRY TO FIND MIGHT, I DON'T, I DON'T, I DON'T LIKE PAYING ANYBODY 18% FOR ANYTHING.
IT'S JUST THIS, THIS BOTHERS ME.
UM, ONE NOW, AND I'LL PROBABLY THIS BEFORE AS WE SCHEDULE, WE SCHEDULE, WE SCHEDULE THE BUSINESSES ON AN ANNUAL, THE BUSINESSES THAT YOU'RE GOING TO INSPECT ANNUALLY IS THAT ANNUALLY? ANNUALLY AND TRI ANNUALLY.
BUT BUT YOU HAVE A LIST OF YOU, YOU KNOW, LET'S SAY FOR FOR 20, FOR REST OF THIS YEAR OR 2023, YOU, YOU'LL HAVE A SCHEDULE OF THE BUSINESSES THAT YOU'RE GOING TO INSPECT.
BEFORE OUR INSPECTORS GET ON SITE, THOSE BUSINESSES DON'T KNOW WE ARE COMING FOR THE MOST PART, CORRECT? MOST CORRECT.
SO OUR BUSINESSES DO, DO THEY OR DON'T THEY KNOW THAT THERE WILL BE A FEE ASSOCIATED? I I WOULD ASSUME THAT THE ONES THAT HAVE BEEN THERE FOR A LONG TIME KNOW I DON'T KNOW ABOUT THE ONES THAT HAVE NEVER BEEN INSPECTED BEFORE.
THEY, IF IT'S A, IF IT'S A NEW BUSINESS, IT MAY BE NEW NEWS TO THEM THAT THERE'S A FEE ASSOCIATED WITH IT, BUT THE INSPECTOR AT THE TIME OF THE INSPECTION IDENTIFIES THE FEE.
IT'S ON THE, THE INSPECTION REPORT
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THAT THEY RECEIVE AS WELL.UM, AND ANYBODY WHO'S BEEN INSPECTED BEFORE UNDERSTANDS THERE IS A FEE ASSOCIATED WITH IT.
AND WHERE I'M GOING WITH THIS CHIEF, AND THIS IS NOT REALLY A QUESTION, I'M JUST PLANTING A SEED FOR YOU TO SORT OF KICK AROUND, WHAT IF WE CAN WITH, WITH, AS A PART OF OUR PLAN THAT WE COME UP WITH, NOT THE SCHEDULE, NOT THAT IT WOULD, YOU KNOW, INSPECTOR'S GONNA BE THERE SATURDAY MORNING, NOT THAT PART, BUT, BUT THAT IN GARLAND, WE HAVE A FIRE INSPECTION PROGRAM ASSOCIATED WITH THAT.
AND THE FEE IS, AND YOU SAID BASED ON THE SIZE OF THE BUSINESS, WE CAN PUT SOME RANGE OF IT.
WHAT IF WE COME WITH SOMETHING LIKE THAT AND NOT, AND, AND SEND IT OUT TO OUR BUSINESSES, PARTICULARLY OUR SMALL BUSINESSES? WOULD, WOULD, WOULD THAT BE SOMETHING THAT WOULD BE DOABLE? AND I'M, I'M NOT LOOKING AT A TIME WHEN I'M JUST, I'M, I'M TRYING TO SAY, OKAY, THE, THE BUSINESSES WHO BEEN AT GONE FOR YEARS PROBABLY KNOW THIS, BUT YOU OPENING A NEW BUSINESS, YOU DON'T, YOU DON'T KNOW THAT WE HAVE A FIRE INSPECTION SAFETY PROGRAM.
SO PART OF THE, THE, THE COMPLAINTS THAT YOU SEE IS GETTING, PEOPLE SAY, OH, I'M IN CHARGE FOR THIS AND I JUST MOVED MY BUSINESS HERE FROM X CITY.
I THINK THAT, UH, MAYBE PERHAPS THROUGH THE CO PROCESS, WE CAN HAVE A HIRE THAT IS GIVEN TO THEM AT THE TIME THAT THEY'RE APPLYING FOR THEIR CERTIFICATE OF OCCUPANCY.
WE ALSO DO AN INSPECTION AT THAT CERTIFICATE OF OCCUPANCY.
UH, SO PERHAPS WE COULD DO A BETTER EDUCATIONAL EFFORT AT THAT POINT.
I'M HESITANT TO PUT A RANGE OF FEES ON THERE, UH, SIMPLY BECAUSE FEE SCHEDULES CHANGE.
AND IT MAY, Y'ALL MAY ADOPT A NEW FEE SCHEDULE THIS YEAR AND THEIR INSPECTION MAY HAVE JUST OCCURRED BEFORE IT.
SO MAYBE TWO TO THREE YEARS BEFORE THEY SEE US AGAIN.
WELL, YOU TOLD ME MY FEE WAS GONNA BE X MM-HMM.
SO I WOULD BE HESITANT TO PUT THAT ON THERE.
BUT, BUT AS AN AWARENESS TO LET 'EM KNOW THAT AS PART OF RUNNING A BUSINESS IN ANY COMMUNITY MM-HMM.
IT IS CALLED FOR THROUGH THE INTERNATIONAL FIRE CODE FOR US TO DO INSPECTIONS.
SO, SO YOUR TEAM COULD, COULD PARTNER WITH BI JUST SENT OUT.
AND I, I I, I, I GET YOUR POINT ABOUT NOT WANTING TO FEES BECAUSE THEY, THEY CHANGE, BUT ABSENT THAT INFORMATION THAT YOUR TEAM PARTNER WITH BI AND SEND SOMETHING OUT, JUST INFORMATION TO ALL OF OUR BUSINESSES BECAUSE THEY HAVE A LIST OF WHO'S HERE, AS DO WE, I'M HESITANT TO SEND OUT A NOTICE TO ALL THE BUSINESSES TODAY.
BUT I THINK THROUGH THE NEW BUSINESS PROCESS, AS SOMEBODY COMES IN AND APPLIES FOR THEIR CERTIFICATE OF AGENCY, WHEN WE GO DO THEIR CO INSPECTION FROM THE FIRE DEPARTMENT'S PERSPECTIVE, WE CAN DELIVER THEM A HAND BUILT, IF YOU WILL, THAT SAYS, HERE'S WHAT TO EXPECT FROM THE FIRE DEPARTMENT IN THE FUTURE.
THANK, THANK, THANK YOU, MR. CHAIRMAN.
YOU WANNA SAY SOMETHING? GO AHEAD.
UM, WHAT WAS THE COLLECTION RATE DURING THE AUDIT? UM, DO YOU KNOW? I DON'T HAVE THAT INFORMATION IN FRONT OF ME.
IT'S, IT'S NOT AS STRONG AS WE WOULD LIKE.
I KNOW OUR CURRENT COLLECTIONS, DO YOU HAVE OR CURRENT NUMBERS? 25%, NOT 25%.
SO THAT, THAT'S A REASON WITH A 92% COLLECTION RATE.
AND A 18% FEE, I'M A PRETTY HAPPY CAMPER.
SO, YEAH, I, I WOULD RECOMMEND, UM, WHATEVER COMPANY YOU DECIDE TO GO WITH, WHATEVER THE FEES ARE, I WOULD RECOMMEND INCREASING YOUR FEE 18% OR 1695 PER FEE, DEPENDING ON WHICH COMPANY YOU GO WITH.
UM, THAT WOULD BE MY RECOMMENDATION.
UM, JUST ON THE BASE, LIKE ABOVE WHATEVER YOU CHARGE.
AND YOU COULD EVEN MAKE IT A LITTLE LINE ITEM IN THERE.
WE, WE WOULD HAVE TO DO THAT THROUGH THE FEE SCHEDULES.
SO PROBABLY SOMETHING WE CAN LOOK AT IN THE, THE COMING BUDGET OF OCTOBER 23, 24.
CHIEF, YOU MEAN TO TELL ME ONLY 25% OF THE PEOPLE THAT HAVE BUSINESSES HERE PAID THEIR FEES IN THE PAST? YES, SIR.
REALLY PART OF THAT IS THE FAULT OF THE FIRE DEPARTMENT.
IT, IT'S, OUR BILLING PROCESS HAS BEEN LACKLUSTER.
UH, THE AUDIT TURNED UP THAT WE HAD RETURNED MAILED.
THAT WAS NEVER HER WORK TO TRY TO FIGURE OUT WHERE IT WAS SUPPOSED TO HAVE GONE AND SOME THINGS LIKE THAT.
SO THAT'S, THAT'S WHY IT HAS TAKEN US A COUPLE OF YEARS.
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CRM MODULE.WE COULDN'T GET INFORMATION OUT OF IT TO TELL WHAT HAD BEEN PAID, WHAT HADN'T BEEN.
SO WE, WE PAUSED WHEN THE ORIGINAL AUDIT WAS DONE, WE WERE TRACKING ALL OF THIS IN OUR FIRE RECORD SYSTEM.
WE WERE MOVING TO CRM TO MAKE A BETTER PRODUCT TO ALLOW US TO DO THIS.
WE GOT CRM AND IT DIDN'T MEET WHAT WE NEEDED IT TO DO.
SO WE HAVE SINCE MOVED BACK TO ANOTHER NEW VENDOR CALLED IMAGE TREND TO TRACK ALL OF OUR INSPECTIONS IN THE, THE RECOVERY FOLKS THAT, THAT DO THIS AS PART OF THEIR, THEIR BUSINESS MODEL WILL WORK WITH OUR SOFTWARE ON IMAGE TREND TO EXTRACT THE INFORMATION AND THEN THEY WILL TRACK IT.
WHO'S PAID, WHO ISN'T THEY, THEY DO ALL THE INVOICING.
SO I DON'T HAVE SOMEBODY ON STAFF THAT'S RESPONSIBLE FOR A LOT OF THINGS, PLUS THE FIRE INSPECTION BILLING.
LIKE IF THEY DON'T PAY, WE DON'T HAVE NOTHING TO SAY, HEY, YOU, YOU GONNA BE SHUT DOWN AND YOU DON'T PAY.
COREY AND REVENUE RECOVERY REFERENCED IT SO WELL, HE SAID, THERE'S NO BITE IN OUR BARK.
UH, AND THAT IS A COUNCIL POLICY DECISION.
DO YOU WANT ME TO REMOVE SOMEBODY'S CERTIFICATE OF OCCUPANCY BECAUSE THEY DIDN'T PAY THEIR $50 INSPECTION FEE YET? THEY'RE PRODUCING DOLLARS.
AND A LOT OF TIMES IT'S A LACK OF, I LOOKED AT MY INSPECTION REPORT, BUT AT THE BOTTOM OF IT IS WHERE IT SAYS WHAT YOUR FEE IS AND WHERE TO SEND IT.
THEY DON'T GET THAT FAR ON THE LIST.
THEY, THEY STOPPED AT GET YOUR FIRE EXTINGUISHER INSPECTED, OKAY? MM-HMM.
SO THEY, THEY DON'T GET THAT FAR INTO THE REPORT.
WE DON'T NECESSARILY FOLLOW UP ON THAT.
AND THAT'S, THAT'S THE FIRE DEPARTMENT'S FAULT 100%.
SO WE DON'T ADVISE THEM, HEY, YOU GOTTA PAY THIS.
WE'VE TRIED TO BRING IT TO THEIR AWARENESS AND THE INSPECTORS TELL THEM YOUR FEE AND THE, THE PAYMENT SUBMITTAL PROCESS IS AT THE END OF THE REPORT.
BUT AGAIN, FOLKS TEND TO READ THE FIRST COUPLE OF PAGES AND DON'T GET TO THE BOTTOM.
SO IT'S HARD TO ME TO BELIEVE THAT I'M IN BUSINESS AND I PAY EVERYTHING, YOU KNOW, AS SOON AS I GET IT, I PAY IT.
SAY THEY'RE A CONVENIENCE STORE, THEY CAN'T PAY $50.
AND, AND I THINK THAT TO COUNCILWOMAN LUCK'S POINT, IF WE COLLECTED WHILE WE WERE ON SITE, WE'RE MORE LIKELY TO COLLECT THAT OUT OF THE TILL AND, AND LEAVE A RECEIPT FOR IT.
BUT THE ACCOUNTING PRACTICES ASSOCIATED WITH THAT ARE NOT THE BEST IN THE WORLD.
AND THAT'S THE REASON IT'S TAKEN US SO LONG TO GET WHERE WE ARE TODAY.
BUT THEY CAME, PAY WAS A CREDIT CARD, NOT AT THE TIME OF, OF INSPECTION BECAUSE WE DON'T HAVE CARD READERS AND ALL OF THAT, AND CONVENIENCE FEES.
AND I THINK THE CITY COUNCIL HAS BEEN NECK DEEP AND, AND THAT, SO WE GOTTA COME TO THE 21ST CENTURY THEN
AND, AND, AND HIRE A THIRD PARTY ADMINISTRATOR TO ADMINISTRATE THIS FOR US AND COLLECT THAT AND, AND DEPOSIT THE FUNDS INTO OUR OWN CITY'S LOCK BOX SO THAT WE HAVE A BETTER PROCESS.
AND YOU RECOMMENDATION THE CHIEF, CHIEF JUST, JUST SUMMARIZED MY RECOMMENDATION WITH THIRD PARTY.
I THINK THAT WAS ONE OF THE RECOMMENDATIONS ON THE SLIDE.
AND I, I THINK SO I'M, I'M FULLY SUPPORTIVE OF THAT RECOMMENDATION.
ANOTHER REASON IS I DON'T, I DON'T WANT TO PUT OUR FIRE STAFF IN THE MIDDLE IN A POSITION.
YOU START COLLECTING MONEY ON SITE AND YOU'VE GOT SOME, UH, UH, IRRITATED CLERK OR, YOU KNOW, THERE AND THEY GET INTO, UM, THIS, UH, YOU KNOW, I JUST TOO, TOO MANY THINGS CAN GO BAD WITH, WITH THAT KIND OF SITUATION, YOU KNOW? SO I DON'T, I DON'T WANNA PUT OUR STAFF IN THAT POSITION TO HAVE TO, UH, REFEREE, YOU KNOW, SOME ANGRY CLERK ABOUT, UH, $50 FEE.
SO I THINK CHIEF'S, I SUPPORT CHIEF'S RECOMMENDATION THAT WE GO TO THE R P ROUTE.
WE THE THIRD PARTY YOU'LL MAKE A MOTION.
I'LL MAKE THE MOTION IF YOU, IF, IF, IF YOU SAY SO.
UH, I, MY MOTION IS THAT WE ACCEPT, UH, UH, CHIEF POLICE RECOMMENDATION OF, UH, OPTING FOR A, SEEKING OUT A THIRD PARTY TO HANDLE THE, UH, FIRE COLLECTION FEES, UH, MOVING FORWARD.
SO LET'S DRAW SIMILARITY TO CHIEF.
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BRIAN'S OPERATIONAL ALARM PERMITS.HE'S GOT A THIRD PARTY GROUP THAT MANAGES THAT FARM AS WELL.
SO, UM, WE'LL, WE'LL FOLLOW ALONG THAT SAME ROUTE AND GET THIS MOVING.
AND, UH, WE'LL GO OUT FOR, UH, SELECT A VENDOR AND, UH, COME BACK TO COUNCIL WITH, UH, A, A BRIEFING ON WHERE WE'RE AT AND WHAT WE'RE DOING, AND LET FULL BODY, AND WE'LL CERTAINLY ENCOURAGE THIS, UH, COMMITTEE TO MAKE A RECOMMENDATION AT THAT TIME AS WELL.
THANK YOU FOR BRINGING THAT UP, BJ.
I KNOW IT'S A LONG TIME COMING, BUT WELL, THAT'S, BUT I'M GLAD WE GOT THIS.
YEAH, IT TAKE, IT TAKES TIME FOR IT.
AND ACHIEVE THESE, RIGHT? UH, UH, UH, CHIEF BRYANS THE ALARMS, THE, THE ALARM SYSTEM THINGS FAR AS I KNOW SINCE I'VE BEEN IN CALLING, IT WORKS FINE.
I MEAN, I GET MY DEAL IN THE MAIL
AND I DON'T SEE ANYBODY, JUST REMEMBER THAT WHEN THE AUDIT REPORT COMES OUT,
I'M ONE NOW THEY DON'T, YOU KNOW, THEY GO BY ZIP CODE, UH, CHI, YOU KNOW, SO MAYBE DON'T COVER MY ZIP CODE IN THAT, RIGHT? WHAT IS THAT FEE? YEAH, $30.
IT'S 25 FOR SENIORS, RIGHT? 50 FOR RESIDENTIAL, A HUNDRED FOR BUSINESS.
SO, SO THEY MAY NOT GET IN MY ZIP CODE CHIEF
YOU KNOW, ONE TIME DEAL FOR A YEAR.
BUT THE MESSAGE IS LIKE, WE GET FROM, FROM, UH, CHIEF BRANCH, THE OVERRIDING THING IS PUBLIC SAFETY.
AND I THINK THAT'S WHAT, THAT'S WHAT SOME OF THE PEOPLE DON'T GET.
IT'S NOT THAT THE CITY'S SEEKING, WE'RE NOT SEEKING TO, TO, UH, IMPROVE OUR TREASURY BY THIS.
WE'LL GET YOU A RE IT'S, IT'S A PUBLIC SAFETY.
AND I THINK THAT THE ALARM, YOU KNOW, PROGRAM, CUZ I'VE HAD PEOPLE ASK ME ABOUT THE, THE ALARM AND NOW I, I HAVE PEOPLE, HOW CAN THEY SIGN UP FOR, FOR THE PROGRAM.
BUT I, BUT I THINK WE'VE GOT SOME BUSINESSES FOR, YOU KNOW, WHO ARE NOT THERE YET AS FAR AS THIS IS A PUBLIC SAFETY, THIS IS NOT JUST A COLLECTING A FEE.
THIS IS A PART OF OUR CITY'S PUBLIC SAFETY.
AND SO THEY GET IT WITH, WITH, WITH, WITH, UH, CHIEF BRYAN, BUT THEY DON'T GET IT WITH OUR, FOR OUR COLLECTION FEE.
SO WE'VE GOT SOME EDUCATION TO DO.
IS THERE ANYTHING ELSE CHIEF? THAT WAS THE ONLY ITEM.
WELL AT, UM, 4 27 WE ADJOURNED THIS MEETING.