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8 <br /> <br /> Mr. Taliaferro said he finds it troubling that there are still loose ends but we are <br />signing a 40 year lease. He said we do not know the exact location, the footprint or how <br />much land. <br /> <br /> Ms. Hamilton said the bottom line is it is still in a park. She said if a larger <br />facility was built it would have an even larger footprint. She said it raises a number of <br />issues. <br /> <br /> Mr. Norris said we are not figuring out all the programmatic details tonight, but <br />are giving the green light to move forward. He said he does not think it should be held up <br />because we do not have consensus. <br /> <br /> The ordinance entitled β€œAN ORDINANCE AUTHORIZING THE LEASING OF <br />APPROXIMATELY 3 – 5 ACRES OF PROPERTY WITHIN MCINTIRE PARK FOR <br />THE CONSTRUCTION OF A COMMUNITY FITNESS AND RECREATION <br />th <br />CENTER,” as amended, which was offered at the November 5 meeting, was approved <br />by the following vote. Ayes: Dr. Brown, Mr. Lynch, Mr. Norris. Noes: Ms. Hamilton <br />and Mr. Taliaferro. <br /> <br />REPORT <br />: EMERGENCY MEDICAL SERVICES COMMITTEE <br /> <br /> Ms. Mary Loose-deViney, business representative on the Emergency Medical <br />Services (EMS) Committee, noted that there were three recommendations of the <br />Committee that were unanimously recommended by the fire chiefs and the Committee. <br />Ms. Loose-deViney said that the majority of the Committee recommended that additional <br />EMS service be provided by the City. She said she thinks the issue is one of capacity <br />rather than response time. She said something is needed to supplement the existing <br />system. <br /> <br /> Mr. Martin Burks, citizen representative on the EMS Committee, said that every <br />member of the Committee agreed about the need for more medics at each fire department <br />and strategically located around the City. He said more medics improve response times. <br /> <br /> Dr. George Lindbeck, Medical Director of the Charlottesville-Albemarle Rescue <br />Squad (CARS), said that he does not think we will wreck the existing system by <br />augmenting it. He said we need a five, ten and twenty year plan. He said extra medics <br />will benefit the whole system. <br /> <br /> City Fire Chief Charles Werner said they are looking at making the existing <br />system stronger and bigger. He said CARS is an excellent organization, but feels that <br />response times are a symptom of a bigger problem. He said he will work with CARS in <br />the future. <br /> <br /> Responding to a question from Mr. Norris, Chief Werner said there are times that <br />CARS runs out of ambulances. <br /> <br /> Mr. Lynch said he is glad that the Committee agreed on how to define response <br />times. He said the problem is more with ambulance crews. He said he does not see <br />included in the report why the solution is for the City to take it on rather than having <br />CARS hire more people. <br /> <br /> Chief Werner said people need to be located in other locations. <br /> <br /> Mr. Lynch asked if a bay is proposed for CARS at the Fontaine site, and Chief <br />Werner said that does not help staffing. He noted that the Medical Director for CARS <br />agrees this is the right approach. <br /> <br /> Mr. Lynch said he does not see how that translates into the need for the City Fire <br />Department to get into a new business. <br /> <br /> <br />