HomeMy WebLinkAbout05-04-2020 Public Safety Task Force MinutesSaratoga Public Safety Task Force Minutes - Page 1 of 3
MINUTES
MAY 4, 2020
WILDFIRE PUBLIC SAFETY TASK FORCE SPECIAL MEETING Chair Chuck Page called the virtual Wildfire Public Safety Task Force meeting to order at 6:10 p.m. and explained how the virtual meeting would be conducted. ROLL CALL
PRESENT: Chair Chuck Page, Vice Chair Paul Hansen, Members Bill Cooper
ABSENT: Members May Lu, Arun Venkatachar ALSO PRESENT: Crystal Bothelio, Assistant City Manager Chief Jason Falarski, Santa Clara County Fire Gretchen Hayes, Santa Clara County FireSafe Council ORAL COMMUNICATIONS ON NON-AGENDIZED ITEMS
None
AGENDA ITEMS:
1. Public Safety Task Force Minutes
Recommended Action:
Review and approve the draft minutes from the April 6, 2020 meeting.
Daryl Miller addressed the Task Force.
HANSEN/COOPER MOVED TO APPROVE THE DRAFT MINUTES FROM THE APRIL 6, 2020 MEETING. MOTION PASSED. AYES: COOPER, HANSEN, PAGE. NOES: NONE. ABSTAIN: NONE. ABSENT: LU, VENKATACHAR. 2. Wildfire Risk Mitigation Fund (Work Plan Item) Recommended Action: Receive input from the Saratoga Council Finance Committee on the Task Force’s recommendation to create a $50,000 Wildfire Risk Mitigation Reserve Fund in the Fiscal Year 2020/21 budget and consider any changes to the recommendation prior to the City Council
Budget Study Session on May 11.
Crystal Bothelio, Assistant City Manager, provided a staff report.
Saratoga Public Safety Task Force Minutes - Page 2 of 3
The Task Force discussed the Finance Committee’s input and alternative recommendations to
the City Council.
HANSEN/COOPER MOVED TO AMEND THE TASK FORCE’S RECOMMENDATION TO THE CITY COUNCIL TO CREATE A $50,000 WILDFIRE RISK MITIGATION RESERVE FUND IN THE FISCAL YEAR 2020/21 BUDGET BY RECOMMENDING THAT THE CITY COUNCIL CREATE A $50,000 CAPITAL PROJECT FOR FUEL REDUCTION PROJECTS, SUCH AS ROADSIDE BRUSH CLEARING, FUEL BREAKS, AND CHIPPING. MOTION PASSED. AYES: COOPER, HANSEN, PAGE. NOES: NONE. ABSTAIN: NONE. ABSENT: LU, VENKATACHAR. 3. Mobile LRAD & Visual Messaging for Emergency Communications (Work Plan Item)
Recommended Action: Consider whether to recommend that the City Council allocate funds in the Fiscal Year 2020/21 budget to purchase a mobile LRAD and/or visual messaging equipment to be used for
emergency communications to the City Council.
Crystal Bothelio, Assistant City Manager, provided a staff report.
Captain Rich Urena discussed evacuation procedures.
The Task Force discussed use the mobile LRAD and visual message boards/indicators and local
evacuation route planning efforts, including a grant that the Santa Clara County Fire
Department received to plan evacuation routes in Saratoga. 4. Santa Clara County FireSafe Council Funding, Incentive Program, Fuel Break Projects, and Increased Chipping (Work Plan Item)
Recommended Action:
Consider whether to recommend that the City Council increase funding in the Fiscal Year
2020/21 budget for the Santa Clara County FireSafe Council from $25,000 per year to expand services, offer a incentive program for dead tree removal, defensible space, or other wildfire risk mitigation efforts, fuel break projects, and/or increased chipping services. Gretchen Hayes with the Santa Clara County FireSafe Council shared information about recent fuel break and fuel reduction projects in the Saratoga area, incentive programs operated by the FireSafe Council, and the FireSafe Council’s chipping programs. The Task Force discussed the City’s current agreement with the FireSafe Council and
opportunity to enhance services from the FireSafe Council.
COOPER/HANSEN MOVED TO RECOMMEND THAT THE CITY COUNCIL ALLOCATE AN ADDITIONAL $25,000 IN FISCAL YEAR 2020/21 TO THE SANTA CLARA COUNTY
Saratoga Public Safety Task Force Minutes - Page 3 of 3
FIRESAFE COUNCIL FOR DEVELOPMENT OF A PILOT DEAD TREE REMOVAL INCENTIVE
PROGRAM FUNDED AT $10,000 THAT WOULD OFFER A REFUND OF $1,000 PER
HOUSEHOLD IN THE CITY OF SARATOGA WILDLAND URBAN INTERFACE AREA AND $15,000 TO SUPPORT FUEL REDUCTION EFFORTS. MOTION PASSED. AYES: COOPER, HANSEN, PAGE. NOES: NONE. ABSTAIN: NONE. ABSENT: LU, VENKATACHAR. 5. Review Work Plan Recommended Action: Review the adopted Task Force Work Plan. The Task Force discussed the Work Plan, including progress on the work plan items.
6. Future Agenda Items
Recommended Action: Consider agenda items for upcoming meetings. The next regular Task Force meeting is scheduled for June 1, 2020.
The Task Force agreed to begin working on a final report on the efforts of the Task Force at
the June meeting.
ADJOURNMENT
HANSEN/COOPER MOVED TO ADJOURN THE MEETING AT 7:36 P.M. MOTION PASSED. AYES:
COOPER, HANSEN, PAGE. NOES: NONE. ABSTAIN: NONE. ABSENT: LU, VENKATACHAR.
Minutes respectfully submitted:
Crystal Bothelio, Assistant City Manager City of Saratoga