Department Policies

Forest Lakes Fire District
Fire Board and Chief Policy
* PROPOSED *

Reviewed Oct. 20, 2007

Foreword

This document defines the duties, roles, responsibilities and authority of members of the Fire Board and the Chief of the Forest Lakes Fire District.

Not every situation or action is covered by this document. Certain elements of both the Board and Fire District operations are defined, including authority delegated to the Fire Chief to handle specific matters.

The Forest Lakes Fire Department Board of Directors shall be referred to as the Board in the rest of this document.

Fire Board Policy General

The Forest Lakes Fire District is a political subdivision of the State of Arizona and is subject to the Arizona Revised Statutes.
The Fire Board of Forest Lakes Fire District has the ultimate responsibility for the protection of life and property within the District boundaries and that of the contracts for fire protection.
Arizona Revised Statute (ARS) 48-805 defines the powers and duties of the elected Board as it pertains to the creation and operation of the fire district.
Board members shall be familiar with all ARS provisions that pertain to Fire Districts. Membership in the Arizona Fire District Association, which serves as a resource for Fire Districts in Arizona, shall be maintained for all Board members to facilitate awareness of ARS matters.
The Forest Lakes Fire District through its Officers, Board Members, Committees, Bylaws and Policy Statements shall oversee the organization of the fire district and its operations to assure compliance with all ARS provisions and make such recommendations as are necessary for the efficient operation of the fire district.
Rules of Journal. The Board shall determine its own rules and Order of Business subject to state law. The Board shall keep a journal of its proceedings and the journal shall be open to public inspection during regular office hours.
Written Rules of Procedure. The Board shall determine its rules of procedure, which shall be in writing and shall be available to all interested citizens.
Rules of Parliamentary Practice. The Board shall determine its rules of parliamentary practice. The rules of parliamentary practice so determined shall govern the Board and shall be enforced by the Board Chair, provided they are not in conflict with the Bylaws of the District or with the State of Arizona laws governing Fire Districts.
The Fire Board shall enact a set of Bylaws to help keep the district on an orderly plan of operation. Bylaws cannot be changed or amended unless by unanimous consent of all Board Members at a meeting called for that purpose.

Fire Board Code of Ethics

The Fire Board members occupy positions of public trust. Board Members shall adhere to both the spirit and the letter of the laws of the State of Arizona pertaining to conflicts of interest.

In addition to matters of pecuniary interest, the Board shall refrain from making use of special knowledge or information before it is made available to the general public; shall refrain from violation of Board rules; shall refrain from influencing the employment of District employees or fire department members (other than the Fire Chief); and shall refrain from using their influence as members of the body in attempts to secure contracts, or other favorable action for friends, immediate family members or business associates.

The Fire Board shall adhere to all provisions of the Open Meeting law of the state of Arizona.

Fire Board Duties and Responsibilities

1) The Board members shall elect a Chairperson and a Clerk from its members.

2) The Chairperson shall act as the Chief Executive Officer of the district.

3) The Clerk shall maintain all public records for the district and shall fill in for Chairperson as required.

4) The Chairperson, with the cooperation of the other Board members, shall hold public meetings at least once each calendar month.

5) The Chairperson, with the cooperation of the other Board members, shall establish the agenda for the upcoming meetings and post such agenda in accordance with open meeting law provisions.

6) The Chairperson, with the cooperation of the other Board members, shall assure meeting minutes are taken for all meetings and that they are published in accordance with open meeting law provisions.

7) The Chairperson, with the cooperation of the other Board members, shall assure that executive session meetings are held only with strict compliance with open meeting law provisions.

8) The Board shall prepare, with the support of the Fire Chief and his/her staff, an annual budget detailing estimated expenditures for the year.

9) The Board shall determine the level of staffing (personnel), apparatus and equipment necessary for the protection of life and property within the district.

10) The Board shall determine the compensation payable to all personnel in the fire district.

11) The Board shall appoint or hire a Fire Chief. The fire chief selection shall be the result of an open process, including a national search if deemed appropriate.

a. The Chairperson, with the cooperation of the other Board members, shall appoint a search committee well in advance of the expiration of the fire chief’s contract for purposes of selecting the new leader of the department.

b. The Chairperson, with the cooperation of the other Board members and the search committee, shall assure that all candidates for the fire chief position, including the incumbent, if one exists, are treated fairly.

c. The Chairperson, with the cooperation of the other Board members and the search committee, shall have the authority, after reviewing the incumbent’s record of performance, to dispense with the competitive selection process and extend the incumbent’s contract.

12) The Fire Chief shall be the Chief Administrative and Operations Officer.

13) The Board shall give final approval to the Fire Chief's recommendation for an Assistant Chief (or Chiefs).

14) The Board shall assure that the proposed budget expenditures do not exceed revenues, including taxes levied and collected to pay expenditures specified in the budget.

15) The Board shall assure that two Board members shall countersign all warrants and checks for expenditures.

16) The Board shall publish an annual financial report.

17) The Board shall see that an annual inventory of Fire District property is conducted and is reconciled with the prior year’s inventory.

18) The Board shall retain a certified public accountant to perform periodic financial reports and audits.

19) The Board shall assist the State Fire Marshal in the enforcement of State Fire Protection Standards.

20) The Board shall adopt, with approval of voters, the FLFD fire code.

21) The Board shall have the right to retain private legal counsel for Board actions.

22) The Board shall have the authority to accept gifts, contributions, bequests, and grants, and comply with any special requests attached to such, on behalf of the Fire District.

23) The Board shall approve all major contracts and agreements necessary to carry out the purposes of the district and fire district.

24) The Board shall determine a monetary limit regarding the purchase of capital items or capital improvements. Expenditures above said limit shall have Board approval.

25) The Board shall have responsibility for contract, agreements and certain expenditures as related to:

a. Fire Protection Agreements

b. Ambulance Agreements

c. Mutual Aid Agreements

d. Mutual Response Agreements

e. Consultant Agreements

f. Capital Improvement and Capital Expenditures above $500

g. Purchases of or alterations to District Real Estate

h. Building Construction or Alterations

26) The Board shall have responsibility to enter into contracts and execute any agreements or instruments and do any other act necessary or appropriate to carry out its purpose.

27) The Board shall have authority to pay membership dues to the Arizona Fire District Association.

28) The Board shall define the meaning of the term “at the pleasure of the Forest Lakes Fire District Board of Directors” as it pertains to the hiring and dismissal of the Fire Chief.

29) The Board shall conduct an annual evaluation of the Fire Chief and make an assessment of fitness for duty.

30) The Board shall require the Fire Chief to pass an annual physical evaluation and test.

31) The Board shall require attendance of the Fire Chief and Assistant Fire Chief(s) at all Board meetings unless excused.

Fire Chief Duties and Responsibilities

The Fire Chief is appointed at the pleasure of the Forest Lakes Fire Department Board of Directors and can be removed with or without cause.

The Fire Chief of the District and the Fire Chief’s designees shall be a thoroughly familiar with the Arizona Revised Statutes, rules and regulations pertaining to Fire District and the District By-Laws.

Certain duties and responsibilities are delegated hereafter to the Fire Chief. It shall be the Fire Chief’s duty, through appropriate records and reports, to keep the Board and its committees informed as to the status of the operation of said Fire District at all times.

The Fire Chief may authorize emergency repairs to apparatus, buildings and equipment in order to preclude further damage or interruption of emergency operations. Every attempt should be made to contact appropriate committee members prior to such actions.

The Fire Chief shall keep the Board and/or Standing Committees apprised of necessary and needed actions.

The Fire Chief and/or his/her designees shall be available to meet with the Board and its committees as necessary to give advice on matters pertaining to operation of the Fire District.

The Fire Chief and/or his/her designees shall prepare detailed and technical reports regarding fire protection/medical requirements and recommendation for improvements.

The Fire Chief shall not cause expenditures to be made that will exceed the budgetary limitations set forth in each fiscal budget.

The Fire Chief shall not cause an increase in personnel or adjust the wages and benefits of said personnel except as provided in the preparation of the Fiscal Budget (which sets personnel limits for the ensuing year).

Fire Chief Specific Duties and Responsibilities

Training and Training plans
Personnel
Qualifications for employment
Job Description
Rules and regulations
Disciplinary measures and/or dismissal
Promotional practices
Qualification for merit increases
Assignments and transfers.
Staffing Procedures and Practices
Support the Clerk of the Board in Management of Records and Reports
Support the Board in Budget preparation and Fiscal Management
Resource Allocation and Utilization
Fire’ Ground and Other Emergency Operations
Medical Services and Other Medical Emergency Operations
Search and Rescue Activities
Fire Prevention and Related Activities
Communications
Repairs and Maintenance
Evaluation, Productivity, Research and Planning

The Fire Chief and staff shall publish and maintain the Fire District SOG (Standard Operating Guidelines) Manual, which will include all categories outlined in the above, "Specific Duties and Responsibilities”. The Fire Chief and his/her staff shall be responsible for the contents of the SOG. The Board shall approve the SOG upon recommendation by the Chief. The Board still has ultimate responsibility for the District to comply with all Federal, State, and County Laws and regulations.

Once the Board approves the SOG, the Board may review any and all actions of the department related to the SOG. This review is limited to the determination as to whether or not the SOG was followed and not the specifics of any actions taken. The Board may request that particular sections of the SOG be reviewed by subject matter experts for possible changes at any time, with or without reason.

The Fire Chief and his/her staff shall be responsible for specifying and the Procurement of Equipment purchase for the fire District. The Board shall be responsible for the legality of purchases and to ensure that they are within the fiscal budget.

The Fire Chief and his/her administration staff shall work with the Finance and Budget Committee for budget generation and monitoring.

The Fire Chief shall be the single point of contact for any and all directions to the department personnel by the Board. However, this does not in any way preclude access to the administration staff by the Board to support functions required by law.

AMENDMENTS/RESOLUTIONS

Amendments to this Policy Statement may be proposed in writing at any regular or special public meeting of the Board. Such proposed amendments shall be acted upon at the next regular public meeting of the Board or at a special public meeting called for that purpose, and shall be adopted by an affirmative vote of a majority of the Board members present. Notice of intention to present amendments to this Policy Statement for adoption shall be contained in the notice of the meeting. In case of conflict between the Arizona State Law or the District Bylaws and this Policy Statement, Arizona State Law or the District Bylaws shall govern.

Policy Statement as approved by the Board at Meeting on. __________________

Terri Formosa, Chairperson _____________________________________________________

Bob Foncannon, Clerk _______________________________________________________

Ben Froehlich, Member ________________________________________________________

Brad Pontious, Treasurer _____________________________________________________

John Hennessey, Member ____________________________________________________