White Plains CitizeNetReporter - Council Demands Heavyweight Fire Expert for Police/Fire Study

Milkman's Matinee News, by John F. Bailey, Filed 3/7/02 2:00 AM EST: Councilmen Tom Roach and Robert Greer raised serious questions about the ability of the CGR fire consultant's ability to evaluate the White Plains Fire Department Wednesday night, and requested the CGR Project Manager to find a fire consultant who had experience running a professional fire department instead of a volunteer department.

Charles Zettek, Jr., Director of Government Management for CGR, the Center for Government Research, based in Rochester, New York, said he would address this concern brought up by Roach and Greer, and would find a fire consultant with those qualification.

Zettek explained how CGR would conduct its study of the efficiency of the White Plains Public Safety Department to Councilpersons Rita Malmud, Roach and Greer at a Special Meeting of the Common Council meeting to consider hiring the firm to execute the long-awaited study.

A four-month Time Frame

The Council learned the study would take a minimum of three months before a first draft was presented, and a fourth month to complete the finish product based on Council questions.

Conducted in 4 Phases

Zettek said the study would begin with listing confidential interviews of police and fire personnel and other personalities CGR feels appropriate to the study, as well as any persons the Council felt should be included.

In the second phase they would schedule and conduct interviews. In the Third Phase they would identify trends borne out in the interviews they conduct, and consult with their own experts to verify and weigh what they are finding through the interview process, culminating in a rough draft, which the Council would see and comment upopn. with the fourth and final phase, the completion of the study.

Police Expert, a 32-year veteran of the Rochester Police Department

Zettek said the firm's police consultant had spent 32 years with the Rochester Police, a department serving a city of roughly 220,000 people.

Mr. Roach actually raised the question of the kind of experience the CGR fire expert brought to the table. Zettek described his fire consultant as having been the professional manager of a volunteer fire department for the suburb of Rochester, the Gates-Chili Volunteer Fire Department.

This fact troubled Mr. Greer, who solemnly expressed concern that the White Plains Fire Department was a professional department and that the whole purpose of the survey was to put aside once and for all, without question, whether the splitting of the departments was or was not efficent.

Zettek said he would check back with his offices before turning in his final proposal, and find an expert with this kind of background: professional fire department management.

Zettek is due back Friday with his final proposal. The study will cost the city $84,000, and if a study of Emergency Medical Services is included, $96,000.


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