Minutes Board of Directors Meeting - 2/17/04

The General Board Meeting was called to order at 7:00 p.m. by President Mr. Stonebraker. Present were Directors Mr. Stonebraker, Mr. Schloss and Mr. Bettag, Chief Svetanics, Ms. Vincent, Fire Fighters Lt. Michalski, Pvt. Larry Lewellen and Pvt. Schwenk, and two Citizens from the District.

Pledge of allegiance led by Thomas Call.

Mr. Stonebraker asked if there were any additions to the agenda. Mr. Schloss made an addition to the Action Agenda 8.11, Code Red System Program. Mr. Bettag made an addition to the Action Agenda 8.12, Health Insurance. Mr. Stonebraker made a motion to accept the agenda, 2nd by Mr. Schloss. Roll call vote, all ayes.

Motion by Mr. Bettag to accept the minutes from the closed executive sessions of January 12, 2004 and January 30, 2004, and the minutes from the general sessions of January 21, 2004 and January 27, 2004, 2nd by Mr. Stonebraker. Roll call vote, all ayes.

Mr. Bettag gave the treasurer’s report for the month ending January 31, 2004. Mr. Bettag reported that the District purchased CD’s from Midwest BankCentre. Motion by Mr. Schloss to accept the treasurer’s report, 2nd by Mr. Stonebraker. Roll call vote, all ayes.

Chief’s Report: Chief Svetanics reported that Captain Schuessel and Captain Bertelsmeier are joining him in rating all employees during the new District evaluation procedure. The District has received 4 applications for the Captain’s position and we are in the process of working on that test. Chief Svetanics stated that after a new Captain has been chosen he would assign a new Training Officer. Chief Svetanics announced that Pvt. Michael Murphy resigned and went to Metro West. Chief Svetanics reported that members of a local Chapter of the Job’s Daughters collected money and presented a check to him on behalf of the Backstoppers. Chief Svetanics also stated we received a donation of $200 for the Smoke Detector Fund from hosting a Firehouse Birthday Party at no cost to the District.

Monthly reports presented on training by each crew member, 40 hour education schedule for training, maintenance report, fire incident report and summary, ambulance statistics, Gateway monthly credit report, overtime report, public relations report, minutes from South County Fire Alarm Association, and St. Louis Metro Fire District Alliance Minutes.

Action Agenda: Mr. Schloss made a motion to purchase a new software package for the ambulance named Code Red which is a paperless, user friendly data collection system for the paramedics to use when writing trip sheets by way of an electronic submission onto a notebook computer using a pen. The legible patient care reports will be easily billed and collected to generate required state reports. This system should not only save man-hours, but should make our revenue increase due to proper billing of insurance companies and reduction of rejected claims. The cost will be $8,300 for software. Mr. Schloss made amendment to motion to purchase Code Red System for approximate cost of $13,500 for software and hardware. Mr. Stonebraker authorized purchase of Code Red software and hardware, 2nd by Mr. Bettag. Roll call vote all ayes.

Mr. Bettag reported that he and Ms. Vincent had attended a meeting of Employees Committed to Control Health Costs presented by Howard Danzig of the Howard Danzig Insurance Agency, who reported that all employees who have secondary employment should have workers compensation coverage through that secondary employment.

Mr. Bettag stated that we had a visit from our loss reduction agent of the Missouri Employers Mutual Insurance, our workers compensation carrier, who reported that our yearly costs of $50,000, based on a three-year loss ratio, will go up 15 percent this year. M.E.M. has requested that we have mandatory training on stretcher lifting. Chief Svetanics reported that he has given the request to Medical Officer Lt. Michalski, who has begun the training process.

Mr. Bettag stated that our insurance company representative, Mr. J. Weinstein of V.F.I.S., recommended that we collect and verify the secondary employment workers compensation information.

Mr. Stonebraker made a motion to codify this procedure which Local #2677 and Chief Svetanics agreed to and forward to and instruct Attorney Hoffman to review responses for further research and referral, 2nd by Mr. Schloss, roll call vote, all ayes. Motion agreed to.

Next meeting is scheduled for Tuesday, March 16, 2004 at 7:00 p.m. The regular open meeting for bill discussion is scheduled for March 23, 2004 at 10:00 a.m. Mr. Stonebraker suggested following meetings be set on Tuesdays.

During public comments, Mr. Call asked the amount of funds uncollected by Gateway for ambulance calls and whether other departments were having the same problem of uncollected funds. Mr. Bettag responded that we have $116,000 in uncollected funds, $65,000 of which was directly billed to patients (not insurance companies).

Mr. Call asked what Code Red is. Lt. Michalski responded by explaining that the software standardizes the report for ease in billing.

Mr. Call also asked if we submitted a request for grant money for Haz-Mat reimbursement. Chief Svetanics replied that we did not have any overtime involving a protecting situation to apply for reimbursement and explained it would have to be like in 2003 when we received a reimbursement for overtime incurred when we responded to DeSoto for disaster damage.

Mr. Call asked what happens if there is a hazard? Are local fire departments to respond, which is responsible? Chief Svetanics answered that a Haz-Mat team would be called out.

Mr. Call asked if we don’t need a Haz-Mat truck. Chief Svetanics replied that what we need right now is a new ambulance and a pumper.

Motion by Mr. Schloss to adjourn the General Board meeting at 7:47 p.m., 2nd by Mr. Stonebraker, roll call vote, all ayes.

Respectfully submitted,



Jerry G. Schloss, Secretary

JGS/pgv