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<br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> Steve Myers <br /> said the purpose for his being here was to represent the EMS <br />Battalion Chiefs and Paramedics and to enlighten the Board on their position. They have the best <br />third party system right now and he sees no reason to change it. He commented that Commissioner <br />Lowther’s judgment might be clouded because he has a couple of brothers who are firefighters. <br /> Commissioner Lowther asked Attorney Collins to clarify this issue for the <br />record. <br /> County Attorney Collins stated that the Commission on Ethics looked into this <br />and concluded that: where there is no special benefit going to a relative by virtue of a vote then <br />there is no ethical violation. In this matter we are looking at two people out of 149 people involved <br />and all parties are similarly affected. <br /> Chairman Neuberger asked Mr. Myers to continue. <br /> Mr. Myers <br />felt this issue should be discussed at a collective bargaining <br />meeting and not at a Commission meeting. <br /> Chairman Neuberger disagreed. He was going to look into the possibility of <br />dual certification by firefighters today. He felt the Board does have the right to determine the <br />certifications of their Advance Life Support (ALS) personnel. <br /> Commissioner Lowther referred to a letter received from Commissioner <br />Caroline Ginn (copy on file with the backup) regarding dual certification practices in other cities <br />across the United States. He read an excerpt regarding a life-threatening situation in the City of <br />San Diego where they have a paramedic/firefighter at each station. <br /> <br />MOTION WAS MADE by Commissioner Lowther, <br />SECONDED by Commissioner Wheeler, to direct staff <br />to investigate consolidating the Fire and Emergency <br />Services Departments with the goal of achieving a <br />better level of service and report back to the Board at the <br />first meeting in December, 2004. <br />NOVEMBER 16, 2004 27 <br /> <br />