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. II . " ., Fire Chief Montez presented the staff report which described the City's commitment to - provide full paramedic services on all the City's apparatus by January 1999. He said the Council was being asked if the City should continue participation in the JPA, which has 16 local members. The JP A Executive Committee will decide if one or both of the competing emergency services providers will be presented to the San Mateo County Board of Supervisors for final approval. Viee Member Ruskin, the City's representative to the JPA Board, and a member of the JPA Negotiations Oversight Committee, summarized the JPA's actions over the last six weeks. He said a Negotiations Committee carried on the day to day negotiations with the prospective bidders. He described the time frames and "the need for speed and secrecy, an integral part of negotiations," and the formation of the Negotiations Oversight Committee to expedite feedback between the Board and the Comrnittee. Vice Mayor Ruskin said at this stage the "Negotiations Committee, with the approval of the Negotiations Oversight Committee, completed agreements with two potential bidders, AMR and Rural Metro. Last week, that recommendation was brought back to the entire JP A Board at a public meeting. Questions were asked, and after some discussion, both agreements which had been signed by Rural Metro and AMR have now been sent back to each of the City Councils and Fire Districts." Vice Mayor Ruskin explained that each agency had to make the same decision, whether to remain in the JP A or not. "Action is only required if we choose to withdraw from the IP A. If we choose to withdraw from the JP A we need to inform the JPA of that by 4:00 p.m. on December 18. At 5:30 p.m. on December 18, the - JPA Board will reconvene and all Members will then make a final decision, obviously with instructions from their Councils or Fire District Boards." Vice Mayor Ruskin said the Council did not have the option of changing either agreement, nor choosing one agreement as opposed to the other, if the City wanted to remain in the JPA. Vice Mayor Ruskin recommended that the City remain in the JP A, and that the agreements with both potential bidders move forward all the way to the County. He said "our best hope for successful completion of this project lies in maintaining a competitive situation between both AMR and Rural Metro." Arne Croee, San Mateo City Manager, member of the JPA Board, provided background on this three year process, and a summary of the two bids. He said the IP A grew out of an awareness that the Fire Department's job was becoming increasingly focused on emergency medical activities. He said between 60% and 80% of all Fire Department calls are emergency medical calls. Also, several Departments had begun to "go to the paramedic first responder level of service by putting advanced life support personnel training and equipment on their fire apparatus, and that was beginning to create a redundancy within the first responder system." City Manager Croce described the effectiveness and financial analyses done in this area, and the probable financial and service level objectives that would benefit the Cities and Fire Districts through a IP A. San Mateo City Manager Croee said this negotiation through the JP A is part of the - County's process for selecting the next advanced life support provider in San Mateo REGULAR COUNCIL MEETING MINUTE BOOK NO. 56 DECEMBER 8,1997 MINUTES Page No. 097 PAGE 12