Press release from the City’s website:
Mayor Tom Henry announced Aug. 11 he will be appointing two additional members to the board of Public Safety, bringing the board from three to five members.
Two recent ordinances were introduced to City Council establishing a fire merit commission. “If we already have a board to oversee those concerns, we should use it,” said Mayor Henry.
“We want to recognize the important issues that come before the Board of Public Safety and try to ensure that we have the broad representation to carry out the board’s work,”
said Mayor Henry. “This is a positive step we can take to ensure representative citizen oversight of public safety functions.”
The Board is involved in the hiring process, conducting disciplinary hearings, and establishing policies for the police and fire departments. The current members of the board are Quinton Dixie, Sharon Peters and Frank Casagrande. The board members have assured the Mayor that they are in full agreement with the expansion and support the mayor’s decision. Mayor Henry plans to fill the two new positions with a retired firefighter, Bob Elder; and a retired police officer, Steve Boerger.
Text of Executive Order:
EXECUTIVE ORDER 08-02
BOARD OF PUBLIC SAFETY
WHEREAS, as authorized by I.C. 36-4-9-5, the City of Fort Wayne established separate Boards of Public Works and Public Safety by General Ordinance G-10-91; and
WHEREAS, the City of Fort Wayne’s current Board of Public Safety is composed of three (3) members; and
WHEREAS, I.C. 36-4-9-6(d) provides that the Board of Public Safety may be composed of three (3) or five (5) members appointed by the Mayor; and
WHEREAS, the Mayor desires to appoint two (2) additional members to the Board of Public Safety as specified by I.C. 36-4-9-6(d).
NOW, THEREFORE, by virtue of the authority vested in me as Mayor of the City of Fort Wayne, I hereby increase the Board of Public Safety to five (5) members.
SECTION 1. PURPOSE
To ensure representative citizen oversight of public safety functions for the City of Fort Wayne.
SECTION 3. APPLICABILITY/EFFECTIVE DATE
All Executive Orders or policies in conflict herewith are hereby superseded. This Executive Order shall be in full force and effect from and after its execution.
Dated this __________ day of August , 2008.
CITY OF FORT WAYNE
Thomas C. Henry, Mayor
APPROVED AS TO FORM AND LEGALITY
Carol Taylor, City Attorney
This bill has been in works for months, sponsored by City Councilwoman Karen Goldner. Read City Councilman Mitch Harper’s post on Fort Wayne Observed. Thanks to Mitch for the heads up.
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