CITY OF PASADENA
PUBLIC SAFETY COMMITTEE MINUTES
PASADENA CITY HALL
100 NORTH GARFIELD AVENUE
CITY HALL COUNCIL CHAMBER - S249
IVIAY17,2023
REGULAR MEETING
OPENING
ROLL CALL:
Staff:
NEW BUSINESS
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The Chair called the regular meeting of the Public Safety Committee to order at 4:05 p.m.
Mayor Victor M. Gordo (Chair)
CouncilmemberTyron Hampton
Councilmember Justin Jones
Councilmember Steve Madison (Arrived 4:59 p.m.)
Chad Augustin, Fire Chief
Manuel Carmona, Acting Director of Public Health
Matthew Hawkesworth, Director of Finance
David Reyes, Assistant City Manager
Javan Rad, Chief Assistant City Attorney
Tamer Sabha, Recording Secretary
BUDGET WORKSHOP - FY 2024 RECOMMENDED OPERATING
BUDGET:
A. FIRE DEPARTMENT
Chad Augustin, Fire Chief, provided introductory remarks and presented a Powerpoint presentation on the item, and responded to questions.
David Reyes, Assistant City Manager, clarified as part of the presentation that the Pasadena Paramedic Subscription Program fee is $85 annually.
Mayor Gordo thanked Chief Augustin for the presentation and the progress made in State-mandated inspections, emergency services management, and filling vacancies.
Mayor Gordo requested that staff monitor the salaries for Fire personnel in comparison to other local agencies to recruit and retain staff to serve in the Pasadena Fire Department, and requested a future presentation analyzing Fire Department operations in terms of service provision and cost by the growth of the medical and life sciences industries in the City.
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Councilmember Hampton commended Chief Augustin and his staff for including a fee waiver in the paramedic subscription program for residents who demonstrate financial hardship.
Chief Augustin offered to write a newsletter article about the paramedic subscription program, including a paragraph about the fee waiver policy as another way to provide information and outreach to the community.
Raffy Bitchakdjian, Pasadena Fire Engineer and current
President of the Pasadena Firefighters Association, thanked the membership and Fire Department command staff and spoke in support of the budget presentation, including the necessity of placing a sixth frontline rescue ambulance into service.
On order of the Chair, and by consensus of the Committee, the information was received and filed.
Councilmember Madison
arrived at 4:59 p.m.
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02 B. PUBLIC HEALTH DEPARTMENT
Manuel Carmona, Acting Director of Public Health, provided introductory remarks and presented a Powerpoint presentation on the item, and responded to questions.
Mayor Gordo requested a future presentation about the Public Health Department's strategy to address the issue of diabetes in the community, particularly in Northwest Pasadena, which experiences a higher concentration of the disease. The Mayor also suggested that staff review data from Huntington Hospital and the Police and Fire departments to determine the number of hospital transports that occur due to opioid overdoses.
Councilmember Hampton suggested that staff develop a list of approved vendors that provide bee removal and relocation services, as well as requested a future presentation about the Pasadena Elderly and Dependent Adult Liaisons (PEDAL) program.
Councilmember Hampton suggested the Public Health Department create a welcome packet for new parents and early childcare providers with information on available City programs and resources for new parents.
The Committee directed staff to contact the Los Angeles County Department of Mental Health to see if there is a partnership opportunity to fund services for youth mental health needs.
Matthew Hawkesworth, Director of Finance, shared that the new budget tool, pending budget approval by the City Council, has the ability to identify and categorize the City's key initiatives within the budget.
5/17/2023
ADJOURNMENT
ATTEST:
^gim^r Sabha
Recording Secretary
Councilmember Madison suggested staff provide more detailed information on General Fund support received by the Public Health Department budget mentioned in the presentation in order to ensure and maintain the City's commitment in supporting the department's operations.
Councilmember Jones suggested the Public Health Department collaborate with the Public Works Department and Pasadena Beautiful Foundation to determine where opportunities exist in the City to plant bigger trees as a way to address and remedy issues related to heat (due to the lack of shade). Councilmember Jones further suggested collaborating with the Department of
Transpori:ation's Dial-a-Ride program to address issues related to citizen isolation.
On order of the Chair, and by consensus of the Committee, the information was received and filed.
On the order of the Chair, the regular meeting of the Public Safety Committee was adjourned at 5:35 p.m.
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Mayor Victor 1VI. Gordo, Cl^ir
Public Safety Committee
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