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minutes 03-11-00Page 13 of 17
<br />HOLSCHUH: Well, Roland, forgive me. I would argue that the opposite would be true. We ought to maybe mention it in the
<br />Charter so we can pick up the pieces, God help us, if it were ever terminated. You know what I’m saying? My estimation,
<br />that language ‘EMS’ which is a national standard, unless maybe I don’t understand something about the way one writes this
<br />in the Charter, and that may well be because you guys are way more versed. I see what you’re saying, but I don’t think EMS
<br />is definitely just State EMS. In other words, EMS is a national term, and I like EMS and if you had EMS and rescue, that’s
<br />fine, but EMS is emergency medical services. There are documents and courses and textbooks on that.
<br />HIGASHI: That’s fine.
<br />BESS: Following up on what Roland’s saying here, I’m just wondering whether or not, if that is a concern, about putting
<br />medical services into the Charter, that what we might do is just say ‘and emergency services’ and that the record clearly
<br />reflect what we intend by that is, and I’m talking about the record of the Charter Commission, that what we’re intending is
<br />clearly medical services and rescue. And then that way, if there was a problem down the line, emergency services would be
<br />interpreted that way.
<br />HOLSCHUH: That may solve it. Yes, seems reasonable.
<br />RAY: In any case, it would be helpful if you submitted something in writing just to -
<br />BESS: Yes, please.
<br />HOLSCHUH: The only other thing, I was just more curious. As I mentioned, I’ve been a member of the EMS Commission
<br />for many, many years now and, quite honestly, I suppose I shouldn’t say this here, but I’ve been extremely frustrated about
<br />the advisory nature of the EMS Commission all these years because through five different Mayors, you make
<br />recommendations and whether they do or do not want to listen to you is an incredible amount of energy that’s been spent on
<br />trying to get things done in EMS. But I’m wondering what happens to the EMS Commission. Fire Commission - Is this entity
<br />- This in no way takes away the EMS Commission? Does the EMS Commission come under this, or does that still -
<br />HERKES: Who appoints the EMS Commission?
<br />HOLSCHUH: It’s the mayoral appointment. It’s a mayoral Commission, so that would stay as is or does this imply changing
<br />that?
<br />HERKES: Where is it in this Charter?
<br />IRVINE: Not in the Charter, I don’t think.
<br />RAY: We haven’t discussed it. It’s not something in the Charter, but that’s a good point to bring up.
<br />HIGASHI: Because it’s an advisory Commission, similar to the Elderly - Aging Commission.
<br />RAY: Right, so the Mayor has the authority to create those types of Commissions, and that’s how it’s dealt with in the
<br />Charter.
<br />HIGASHI: And it runs with the Office of the Mayor.
<br />HOLSCHUH: So by creating this, it wouldn’t preclude that in any way?
<br />RAY: No, it would, but it wouldn’t protect it either.
<br />IRVINE: Fred? Yes, I was wondering, could you conceive of the Fire Commission covering the kinds of things that your
<br />EMS Commission does right now, or maybe they should be combined? If you have any thoughts.
<br />HOLSCHUH: Well, perhaps. I don’t want to belabor this now, but perhaps. The only thing is the EMS Commission, although
<br />I’m frustrated by its relative impotence, sorry for the word, but the ability to really pound the table and get something done -
<br />That has been frustrating to me and this sounds like this has a lot more teeth in it, this particular Fire Commission. The
<br />problem is this is a five member Commission. The EMS Commission, I don’t know how many members, but we had a
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