Kankakee Times

City of Watseka Public Safety Committee met June 10.

Here are the minutes provided by the committee:

PRESENT: Aldermen Muench, Miller, Dewitt, Pence, Peterson, Brault, Alderwoman Rohlfs, and Mayor Marcier

ABSENT: Alderman Garfield

GUESTS: Erik Buikema with the Auxiliary Department, Fire Chief Ken Baier, and Police Chief Eric Starkey

Alderman Muench opened the meeting at 6:30 pm. Erik Buikema with the Auxiliary Department stated his department had their meeting June 3rd with all members present. Erik handed out the red-light letters and they reviewed how to properly and legally use the emergency lights in a personal owned vehicle. They also took photos for the city issued police IDs. The department removed, sorted and disposed of all the old worn and discontinued uniforms/gear and removed and sorted and disposed of old worn and unused/broken rubbish that was stored in the building. The department had no emergency call outs.

Fire Chief Ken Baier spoke next. He stated his department had 12 fires, 2 first responders calls, 27 ambulance calls, 3 MVA’s, 5 automatic alarms, 3 mutual aid calls and 13 miscellaneous calls for a total of 65 for the month of May. Training for May was nozzle control and stream application, rapid intervention team training at the training cans, standpipe operations, and truck placement with commercial buildings. The department had the annual pump and ladder testing done and all of the AED’s that the city owns had their annual service. Chief Baier stated the Fire Association had a biscuit and gravy breakfast on Sunday and cleared $1,444 that will be used to purchase ice rescue suits.

Police Chief Eric Starkey stated his department had 357 calls for service during the month of May, with 57 traffic stops and 16 book ins at the jail for a total of $416 in fees. Chief Starkey stated the department had 3 cars in the shop at one time, while the cars were being fixed the department used the Auxiliary vehicle. They are all back in service now. The new squad is close to being put on the road just waiting for some lights to come in hopefully in the next 2 weeks. The E-ticket program paid for by the county clerk’s office will be installed soon. Annual CPR training will be done by the end of the month, and the department will be doing active shooter training soon at the school. Chief stated the city will be seeing an increase in book in fees soon due to new state requirements.

Alderman Brault makes a motion to adjourn at 6:38 pm and Alderman Muench seconded. Roll call carried 8-0.

https://www.watsekacity.org/media/4171