2 9 06 City Council Proceedings Official
CITY OF DUBUQUE, IOWA
COUNCIL PROCEEDINGS
OFFICIAL
City Council, Special Session, February 9, 2006
Council met in Special Session at 6:30 P.M. in the Library Auditorium
Present: Mayor Buol (arrived at 6:40 p.m.), Council Members Braig, Cline, Connors, Jones,
Lynch, Michalski, City Manager Van Milligen
Mayor Pro-Tem Michalski read the call and stated this is a special session of the City Council
called for the purpose of discussing various City departmental budgets.
The budgets for the following City Departments were discussed: Emergency Communications
Center, Emergency Management Office, Fire Department, Police Department, and Building
Services Department.
Emergency Communications Center - Council questioned whether the current staffing level
was adequate and Emergency Communications Center Sandi Hutchcroft stated that it was.
Emergency Management - Michalski stated that the City Council needs to be informed,
educated and involved in emergency situations. Emergency Management Director Tom Berger
replied that training for Council Members is planned within the next few months.
Fire Department - Bob Fisch, 722 West 11th Street, questioned whether there were plans for
additional fire stations on the west side of Dubuque. Fire Chief Dan Brown responded that is
the purpose of the Municipal Fire and Emergency Services Response and Deployment Study.
Chief Brown was directed to schedule National Incident Management System (NIMS) training
for the City Council in March following the budget process.
Police Department - Cline requested a dollar for dollar comparison of the cost to provide two
additional Police Officers versus the amount of overtime being paid. Police Chief Kim Wadding
stated there would be some savings in overtime, but not significant. She also asked that this
decision package be looked at to see if it was possible to add at least one Officer. Braig
questioned the update of the polygraph equipment. Lynch questioned whether the department
was seeing an increase in identify theft cases. Connors questioned the turnover rate and
whether this was typical. Michalski requested that consideration be given to increasing the
number of management level staff attending the Faces and Voices Conference. Buol stated
that Police Department staffing should be discussed at the next City Council goal setting
session. Libby Mihalakis, Vice President of the Washington Neighborhood Association; Amy
Boynton, Downtown Neighborhood Association; Bob Fisch, Historic Bluff Neighborhood
Association; and Penny Ehlinger, AmeriCorps Program, spoke in support of the Community
Oriented Policing (COP) program and commended the department on their efforts in this area.
Building Services Department - Connors questioned whether there was sufficient staff to
maintain City Hall and the two annexes.
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There being no further business, upon motion meeting adjourned at 8:30 p.m.
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Jeanne F. Schneider, CMC
City Clerk
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