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- - - In response to Council Member Claire's questions listed in Mr. Hughes' letter, Fire Chief Montez said that new Fire Captains and reduction of firefighters was necessitated by staffing requirements at new Fire Station 20. He said the new Station required three new Captains positions for three shifts. Council Member Claire asked that Chief Montez discuss this matter with Mr. Hughes. MEMO 6/30/98 City Manager Everett said that he would have the appropriate Department Heads respond to each of Mr. Hughes' questions, and all the responses would be listed in one letter to Mr. Hughes. He said he would provide a copy to the Council. MEMO 6130/98 In response to Vice Mayor Ruskin's questions regarding the purpose of the analysis of functions in the administrative and support staff to improve efficiency listed as an Objective in the proposed Budget, Chief Montez said a regular review process was always valuable. He said that with the opening of the Permit Center those related functions performed at the Fire Station would be transferred to City Hall, and that would free up some time in the office to address some long standing needs. - In response to Mayor Howard's questions regarding Fire Station 11 renovations or new construction by December, 2000, Chief Montez said that the date was generated by the City's Service Area 8 contract with the County which requires improvements to the Station by December, 2000. He said analysis of which approach to take is under way. In response to Council Member Ira questions regarding the EMS salaries of $25,000, Chief Montez said that the "$25,000 represents the MOU agreement for ten Paramedic students who will be fulfilling the last portion of their Paramedic training." He said that their salaries appear in a different section of the proposed Budget. Council Member Ira said the Council congratulated the Fire Department on the "great work they did in saving that man's life. We are very excited about the program as well." In answer to further questions, Chief Montez described the staffing changes necessitated by new Station 20, and the use of overtime instead of hiring new fire fighters. Chief Montez described how the fire fighters voluntarily agreed to decrease the minimum staffing requirement in order to staff the new station. Council Member Claire said that the "Fire Fighters Union was very accommodating in that issue.... Without that accommodation, the cost of maintaining the Fire Station - in Redwood Shores would have been prohibitively high. We always knew the BUDGET STUDY SESSION MINUTE BOOK NO. 57 JUNE 29, 1998 MINUTES Page No. 019 PAGE 15