Ambulance sleeping quarters
October 14th, 2007 by 
Alica
This item is part of the City Council’s consent agenda for their meeting Monday: “Conditional use application for sleeping rooms at 922 E. Redwood Boulevard.” That’s the address of Med-Star Ambulance.
In the Oct. 4 Planning & Zoning Commission minutes, I found this: “A Conditional Use Application was presented for 922 E. Redwood Boulevard. Joe, the director of the service was present for discussion. Land is zoned B-2. Establishing 24-7 operations, allowing sleeping quarters for employees. Sleeping quarters would be on the northeast of the building, on ground level. Garages for the ambulances are on the front of the building, sleeping quarters are separate by a wall between the garages. Dave (Swier, city building inspector) will stop by and inspect the arrangement. Commissioner (Jon) Jacobson moved Commissioner (Tim) Jorgenson seconded to approve the application with the condition that it passes Dave’s inspection. Commissioner (Linda) Weber abstained from the vote. A roll call vote showed (Chuck) Parsons, (Paul) Bosch, Jacobson and Jorgenson aye, Weber abstaining. Motion carried.” (Note: I inserted the parentheses in the quote. Commissioner Marv Peterson was absent from the meeting.)
I have these questions:
Who is Joe? What is his last name? Isn’t Jay Masur the director of the service?
Does asking for sleeping quarters mean Med-Star is confident their application to be licensed in Brandon will be approved?
Why did Commissioner Weber abstain from the vote?
The consent agenda is scheduled to be heard at 7 p.m. Monday. In a consent agenda, a bunch of items are usually listed together and voted on all at the same time, with one vote covering all the items. In addition to the sleeping quarters conditional use permit request, there are four other items in Monday’s consent agenda: two home occupation applications for daycares, a development plan for Pace Manufacturing, and some plats.
Thanks to the City of Brandon for posting agendas and minutes on the city Web site.
Posted in Uncategorized, Ambulance | 
October 14th, 2007 at 7:06 am
Does Med-Star handle emergency calls now, or just transporting patients? I was wondering because I thought emergency calls meant sirens.
October 14th, 2007 at 7:48 am
Joe says he’s the manager of Medstar. Jay Masur was not present. Joe’s last name is Kulhavy.
Yes, they’re confident, his employees have been overheard in public saying they’ll be running 911 calls in Brandon by next week.
Also, I believe they’re already sleeping in that building, even though they haven’t recieved the variance approval yet.
I would guess commissioner Weber abstained because she felt that since she took out the petition against the ordinance change, it may show bias if she did vote.
Let’s just hope 2 of our council people do the same, because of obvious ties to Medstar.
October 14th, 2007 at 8:01 am
I’m awake now and do have some questions. How do they determine what goes on the consent agenda versus discussing each item individually? It looks like at least one nay vote from the zoning board requires an individual hearing, but I’d like to know for sure. Why aren’t the planning and zoning agendas on the City website (the minutes are)? Did the ambulance committee ever make a recommendation? When is the ambulance ordinance scheduled for a vote? Is it possible to retract a comment?
I don’t see where getting the zoning variance before the vote is bad - they will be ready if they get the oontract. Building the sleeping quarters doesn’t mean they have to use them, but I will be surprised if they don’t get the contract.
October 14th, 2007 at 8:04 am
Looks like another oooops to me….letting them build the building for their units and a long time later realizing they are not legal.
October 14th, 2007 at 4:31 pm
To #3 confused: It’s my understanding that Planning & Zoning Commission recommendations all go into the consent agenda. I am not familiar with what you say about one nay vote requiring an individual hearing, but like you, I’d like to know for sure.
The ambulance committee did make its recommendation, at the Oct. 1 City Council meeting. You can read the recommendation in its entirety, plus comment on it, under the blog heading “Ambulance Recommendation.” I’m not sure when the City Council will vote on the ambulance application, but the next City Council meeting is Monday, Oct. 15.
The Planning and Zoning Commission’s meeting agendas are indeed on the city Web site. On the listings on the left side of the main page, click on “P&Z Commission” and a sub-menu will show up, then click on “meeting Agenda.” The Oct. 18 agenda is there.
I’m not sure what you mean when you ask if it’s possible to retract a comment. Will you explain, please?
Thanks.
October 14th, 2007 at 5:47 pm
Alica, when I click on the sub menu for the P&Z agenda, my listing stops at 08-16-07. I can see the minutes for 09-06-07 and 10-04-07, but not the agenda.
There were two variance applications in the zoning minutes. They both had one nay vote and are not listed in the consent agenda. I was wondering if it was because of the nay vote - I guess it could be because they were variances.
I overlooked the one comment that said the committee would not make a recommendation and that decision was up to the council. I thought the committee was going to make a recommendation, instead their function was fact finding.
I wanted to delete or retract comment 1 (also mine). I need to think before I submit.
October 14th, 2007 at 7:25 pm
I’m wondering if the reason the committee didn’t say yes hire them or no don’t hire them would be for legal issues. They probably didn’t want to get sued either way.
The ambulance issue will be decided on tomorrow night, it’s on the agenda on the city website. It’s been on since at least Fri.
I really hope people show up like they did for the Police issue, it’s just as important.
October 14th, 2007 at 7:50 pm
Alica, I solved the Agenda issue - I was pointing to an old site in my favorite places.
#7, I would add if you can’t attend the council meeting, at least send an email to every member of the council stating your position and why you feel that way. Attending the meeting is probably more effective. Doing nothing is the least effective.
October 16th, 2007 at 11:28 pm
:)
October 18th, 2007 at 8:32 am
Who’s he kidding? He’s been having staff sleep there all along. He’s TOLD people that. And there’s been a satellite dish there. I don’t believe anything that comes out of his mouth.