Loading...
Res 2003- 57 Dakota Co JPA Domestic Preparedness Comm 2003City of Mendota Heights Dakota County, Minnesota RESOLUTION NO. 03-57 A RESOLUTION AUTHORIZING MENDOTA HEIGHTS TO ENTER INTO AN AGREEMENT WITH THE PARTICIPATING AGENCIES IN DAKOTA COUNTY FOR DOMESTIC PREPAREDNESS JOINT POWERS AGREEMENT WHEREAS, the City of Mendota Heights desires to cooperate with the other bodies of government in Dakota County working together to prepare for events requiring specialized training and joint response by multiple agencies and communities with in Dakota County. WHEREAS, the Dakota County Domestic Preparedness Committee has prepared a joint powers agreement detailing out the involvement of each member and the commitment of each member to work towards being prepared in the event of an emergency requiring multiple agency response. NOW THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED that the City of Mendota Heights enter into an agreement with the Dakota County Domestic Preparedness Committee for the following purposes, to wit: The Committee would be charged with establishing a Special Operations Team with the capability of providing specialized response technical rescue operations for which specific training and equipment are required. The Committee would be required to develop an annual budget by April 1st of each year. Dakota County agrees to provide budgeting and accounting services in support of the Committee. The parties agree to cooperatively apply for and utilize grant funds as they are made available for State and Federal sources. To the extent that grant funds are not sufficient to support the activities of the Committee and the Special Operations Team, parties to the agreement agree to appropriate funds sufficient to maintain the operations. Parties may choose to withdraw from the JPA with 12 months notice to the other parties. NOW THEREFORE, BE IT FURTHER RESOVILED that the proper City officers be and hereby are authorized to execute such agreement and any amendments, and thereby assume for and on behalf of the City all of the contractual obligations contained therein. Adopted by the City Council of the City of Mendota Heights this 5th day of August 2003. CITY COUNCIL CITY OF MEN OTA HEIGHTS By J. Hu ayor ATTEST: 40y � -�I� Nancy Bader, Deputy City Clerk JOINT POWERS AGREEMENT FOR DAKOTA COUNTY DOMESTIC PREPAREDNESS COMMITTEE 1. Name. The parties hereby establish the Dakota County Domestic Preparedness Joint Powers Agreement. 2. Parties. The parties to this agreement shall consist of as many of the following entities that approve this agreement and execute a separate signature page to become parties: City of Apple Valley City of Burnsville City of Eagan City of Farmington City of Hastings City of Inver Grove Heights City of Lakeville City of Mendota Heights City of Rosemount City of South St. Paul City of West St. Paul County of Dakota 3. Purpose. The purpose of this agreement is to provide for the joint exercise of the parties' powers to plan for and to respond to the need of first responders for special response operations caused by the occurrence of large-scale disasters or emergencies, as defined in paragraph 9.2, within Dakota County. The joint exercise of the parties' powers pursuant to this agreement is intended to supplement and complement but not supplant the parties' joint and individual powers to plan for and respond to the occurrence of other emergency or unforeseen events occurring within Dakota County, as provided in the members' respective emergency operations plans and similar plans. 4. Governance. 4.1. Governing Board. The governing board formed pursuant to this Joint Powers Agreement shall be known as the Dakota County Domestic Preparedness Committee. 4.1.1. Membership. The Committee shall be constituted as follows: one member appointed by each member City; one member appointed by the Dakota County Sheriff; Dakota County Emergency Preparedness Coordinator ex officio; one Dakota County city manager/administrator appointed by the Dakota County Board of Commissioners, consistent with the recommendation of the city managers/administrators within Dakota County; 1 TPA FOR DAKOTA COUNTY DOMESTIC PREPAREDNESS COMMITTEE one member appointed by the Dakota County Emergency Medical Services Council; the Team Leader of the Special Operations Team appointed pursuant to paragraph 5.3; one member appointed by the Dakota County Public Health Director; and Dakota County Attorney ex officio or designee ex officio. The appointee of the Dakota County Public Health Director and the Dakota County Attorney or designee shall be non-voting members of the Committee and shall not be counted for quorum purposes. 4.1.2. Additional Member. In the event that none of the members appointed by the cities is a fire chief or none is a police chief, the Dakota County Fire Chiefs Association or Dakota County Police Chiefs Association, as appropriate, may appoint a member who is a fire fighter or police officer to the Committee. Such appointment shall endure until such time as a member city appoints a member who is a fire chief or police chief. 4.1.3. Documentation. Resolutions or other documentation of appointments shall be filed with the Dakota County Emergency Preparedness Coordinator. 4.1.4. Members not Employes. Members of the Committee shall not be deemed to be employees of the Committee and will not be compensated for serving on the Committee. 4.2. Terms; Vacancies. Members shall serve at the pleasure of the appointing party and may be removed only by the appointing party. Vacancies may be filled only by the appointing party. Incumbent members serve until a successor has been appointed. 4.3. Chair and Vice Chair. In January of each year the Committee shall elect a Chair and Vice Chair from its membership for one-year terms. The Chair shall preside at all meetings of the Committee and shall perform other duties and functions as determined by the Committee. The Vice Chair shall preside over and act for the Committee during the absence of the Chair. 4.4. Secretary/Treasurer. In January of each year the Committee shall elect a Secretary/Treasurer from its membership for a one-year term. The Secretary/Treasurer shall assist the Chair in overseeing the Committee's budget and finances. 4.5. Meetings. The Committee shall have regular meetings at such times and places as the Committee shall determine. Special meetings may be held on reasonable notice by the Chair or Vice Chair. The presence of a majority of the voting members of the Committee shall constitute a quorum. No action may be taken unless a quorum is present. 2 JPA FOR DAKOTA COUNTY DOMESTIC PREPAREDNESS COMMITTEE 4.6. Voting. Each Committee member shall be entitled to one vote. Proxy votes are not permitted. The Committee shall function by a majority vote of the Committee members present. 5. Duties of the Committee. 5.1. Program. The Committee shall formulate a program to carry out its purposes. The Committee shall carry out and implement its programs to the extent possible. 5.2. Special Operations Team. The Committee shall establish a Special Operations Team (SOT) with the capability of providing specialized response technical rescue operations for which specific training and equipment are required and which are not currently available to all of the members. The Committee will ensure that the SOT is established, that its members are trained to applicable federal and state standards, and that the necessary and appropriate equipment is purchased and made available for use by the SOT. The Committee will ensure that procedures are established so that the SOT is able to respond to large-scale disasters or emergencies occurring anywhere within the jurisdictions of the parties to this agreement. Procedures of the SOT are subject to the review and approval of the Committee. Members of the SOT will remain employees of the appointing parry and will not be deemed employees of the Committee or the SOT. The parties agree to assign employees and make equipment available to the SOT. 5.3. Team Leader. The Committee shall appoint a Team Leader who will be responsible for ensuring that the Committee accomplishes the duties described in paragraph 5.2. 6. Reservation of Authority. All responsibilities not specifically set out to be jointly exercised by the Committee under this agreement are hereby reserved to the parties and each of them. 7. Powers of the Committee. 7.1. General Powers. The Committee is hereby authorized to exercise such authority as is necessary and proper to fulfill its purposes and perform its duties. Such authority shall include the specific powers enumerated in paragraph 7.2. 7.2. Specific Powers. 7.2.1. The Committee may enter into any contract necessary or proper for the exercise of its powers or the fulfillment to its duties and enforce such contracts to the extent available in equity or at law. The Committee may approve any contract relating to this agreement up to the amount approved in the annual budget and may authorize the Chair to execute those contracts. No payment on any invoice shall be authorized unless approved by at least two of the three officers elected pursuant to paragraphs 4.3 and 4.4. The Chair shall report to the Committee any such payments at its next meeting. 7.2.2. The Committee may disburse funds in a manner which is consistent with this 1 agreement and with the method provided by law for the disbursement of funds by Dakota County. 3 JPA FOR DAKOTA COUNTY DOMESTIC PREPAREDNESS COMMITTEE 7.2.3. The Committee may apply for and accept gifts, grants or loans of money or other property or assistance from the United States government, the State of Minnesota, or any person, association, or agency for any of its purposes; enter into any agreement in connection therewith; and hold, use and dispose of such money or other property and assistance in accordance with the terms of the gift, grant or loan relating thereto. 7.2.4. The Committee may obtain liability insurance or other insurance it deems necessary to insure the Committee and its members for actions of the Committee and its members arising out of this agreement. 7.2.5. All powers granted herein shall be exercised by the Committee in a fiscally responsible manner and in accordance with the requirements of law. The purchasing and contracting requirements of Dakota County shall apply to the Committee. 8.1. Budget Adoption. By April 1 of each year the Committee shall adopt an annual workplan and budget for the following calendar year including a statement of the sources of funding. 8.2. Budget and Accounting Services. Dakota County agrees to provide all budgeting and accounting services necessary or convenient for the Committee. Such services shall include but not be limited to: management of all funds, payment for contracted services and other purchases, and relevant bookkeeping and recordkeeping. Dakota County contracting and purchasing requirements shall apply to transactions of the Committee. 8.3. Expenses. The parties understand and acknowledge that the activities and duties of the Committee are to be funded first by grant monies from the federal government, state government or other associations and agencies. Nevertheless, the parties agree to contribute to funding, if necessary, for the expenses of the Committee, to the extent not covered by grant funds. Each party agrees annually to appropriate funds for the expenses of the Committee not covered by grant funds, on a population basis, subject to each city council's or the county board's adoption of a resolution authorizing any such appropriation. For purposes of this paragraph, Dakota County's population is the population of the townships within Dakota County. 8.4. Federal and State Grant Funds Available to Counties. The parties understand and acknowledge that federal and state grant funds have been and may continue to be made available for the purposes of improving and enhancing local government units' capabilities in responding to the occurrence of large-scale disasters or emergencies. The parties further understand and acknowledge that some such federal and state grant funds may be made available directly to counties with the intention that the funds be expended for the benefit also of cities within the county. Dakota County specifically agrees that federal and state grant funds for such purposes which the Dakota County Board of Commissioners, pursuant to Committee recommendation and proposed budget, applies for and receives will be applied for and received on behalf of the cities who are parties to this agreement and will be appropriated to the Committee for 4 JPA FOR DAKOTA COUNTY DOMESTIC PREPAREDNESS COMMITTEE expenditure in accordance with the terms of the applicable grant agreement and budget approved by the county board. The Committee will expend any such funds only in I accordance with the terms of any applicable grant agreement, approved budget, laws and rules. This paragraph does not prohibit Dakota County from unilaterally applying for, receiving and expending grant funds made available for the purposes identified in this paragraph. 8.5. Accountability. All funds shall be accounted for according to generally accepted accounting principles. A report on all receipts and disbursements shall be forwarded to the members monthly and on an annual basis. 9. Special Operations Team Activation and Use. 9.1. Purpose. The purpose of this section 9 is to provide for the deployment of the SOT established pursuant to paragraph 5.2, so that the SOT may be utilized by any party to this agreement in the event of a large-scale disaster or emergency within their jurisdiction. It is not the purpose of this section to provide for or address in any way requests by one party of another party for other services, or to supplant other mutual aid agreements to which any of the parties may be signatory. 9.2. Definitions. SOT Team Leader — the person designated by the SOT who is responsible for exercising tactical control of personnel and equipment provided by the SOT whenever the SOT is requested to be deployed or is deployed Disaster or large-scale emergency — an unforeseen exigent circumstance requiring technical rescue operations Requesting party — a party to this agreement who has requested that the SOT provide specialized response operations Special Operations Team (SOT) — a group of personnel assigned by the parties who will be trained and organized to provide special response operations to any party who requests them. Specialized Response Operations — specialized rescue services for problem -specific emergency situations, including, but not limited to structural collapse, technical rope rescue, hazardous materials, wild land rescue, confined space rescue, trench rescue, water rescue, vehicle/machinery disentanglement, and the like. 9.3. Requests for assistance. Whenever a party, in its sole discretion, determines that the conditions within its jurisdiction cannot be adequately addressed by that jurisdiction because of a large-scale disaster or emergency, the party may request orally or in writing that the SOT provide specialized response operations to the party. j 9.4. Response to Request for assistance. Upon a request for assistance of the SOT, SOT Team Leader may authorize, direct and permit the SOT to provide assistance to the requesting party. Whether the SOT shall provide such assistance, and the extent of such 5 JPA FOR DAKOTA COUNTY DOMESTIC PREPAREDNESS COMMITTEE assistance, shall be determined solely by the SOT Team Leader. Failure to provide assistance in response to a request made pursuant to this agreement will not result in I any liability to the SOT or to any other party. SOT Team Leader shall notify the Chair or Vice Chair any time the SOT Command consents to provide assistance to a party, pursuant to this agreement. If a request is made by a governmental unit not a parry to this agreement, the SOT Team Leader may provide assistance only with the approval of the Chair or Vice Chair, pursuant to Committee policy. 9.5. Recall of assistance. The SOT Team Leader may at any time and in its sole judgment terminate and recall the SOT or any part thereof. The decision to recall the SOT provided pursuant to this agreement will not result in liability to the SOT. 9.6. Direction and Control. Personnel and equipment of the SOT shall remain under the direction and control of the SOT Team Leader. 9.7. Exercise of Police Power. Any member of the SOT who is a licensed peace officer and who is providing assistance pursuant to this agreement has the full and complete authority of a peace officer as though appointed by the requesting party and licensed by the State of Minnesota provided the officer meets the requirements set forth at Minn. Stat. § 471.59, subds. 12(1) and (2). 9.8. Compensation. 9.8.1. Parties to this agreement. When the SOT provides services to a requesting party, the personnel of the SOT shall be compensated by their respective employers just as if they were performing the duties within and for the jurisdiction of their appointing party. No charges will be levied by the SOT for specialized response operations provided to a requesting party pursuant to this agreement unless that assistance continues for a period exceeding 48 hours. If assistance provided pursuant to this agreement continues for more than 48 hours, the SOT shall submit to the requesting party an itemized bill for the actual cost of any assistance provided, including salaries, overtime, materials and supplies. The requesting party shall reimburse the SOT for that amount. 9.8.2. Other Entities. In the event that the SOT is activated and deployed at the request of an entity not a party to this agreement, the Committee shall submit to the requesting entity an itemized bill for the actual cost of assistance provided, including salaries, overtime, materials and supplies. The Committee shall send the itemized bill not later than 90 days after the assistance has been provided. 9.9. Workers' Compensation. Each party to this agreement shall be responsible for injuries to or death of its own employees. Each party shall maintain workers' compensation coverage or self-insurance coverage, covering its own personnel while they are providing assistance as a member of the SOT. Each party to this agreement waives the right to sue any other party for any workers' compensation benefits paid to its own employee or their dependents, even if the injuries were caused wholly or partially by the negligence of any other party or its officers, employees or agents. 9.10. Damage to Equipment. Each party shall be responsible for damage to or loss of its own equipment occurring during deployment of the SOT. Each party waives the right to sue 6 JPA FOR DAKOTA COUNTY DOMESTIC PREPAREDNESS COMMITTEE any other party for any damages to or loss of its equipment, even if the damages or losses were caused wholly or partially by the negligence of any other party or its officers, employees or agents. 11. Liability. For purposes of the Minnesota Municipal Tort Liability Act (Minn. Stat. Ch. 466), persons assigned to the SOT are deemed to be employees of the party that has assigned them to the SOT. Each party agrees to defend, indemnify and hold harmless the other parties against any claims brought or actions filed against any other party or any officer, employee or agent of such other party for injury to, death of, or damage to the property of any third person or persons, arising from the action or omission of its other personnel while serving as a member of the Committee or while providing special operations services pursuant to this agreement. Under no circumstances shall a party be required to pay on behalf of itself and other parties to this agreement any amounts in excess of the limits of liability established in Minn. Stat. Ch. 466 applicable to any one party. The limits of liability for some or all of the parties may not be added together to determine the maximum amount of liability for any one party. 12. Term. The term of this agreement shall commence upon approval and signature of a majority of the parties. Dakota County shall notify the parties in writing of the effective date of this agreement. 13. Withdrawal and Termination. 13.1. Withdrawal. Any party may withdraw from this agreement upon 12 months' written notice to the other parties. Withdrawal by any party shall not terminate this agreement with respect to any parties who have not withdrawn. Withdrawal shall not discharge any liability incurred by any party prior to withdrawal. Such liability shall continue until discharged by law or agreement. 13.2. Termination. This agreement shall terminate upon the occurrence of any one of the following events: (a) when necessitated by operation of law or as a result of a decision by a court of competent jurisdiction; or (b) when a majority of parties agrees to terminate the agreement upon a date certain. 13.3. Effect of Termination. Termination shall not discharge any liability incurred by the Committee or by the parties during the term of this agreement. Upon termination property or surplus money held by the Committee shall then be distributed to the parties in proportion to contributions of the parties. 14. Miscellaneous. 14.1. Amendments. This agreement may be amended only in writing and upon the consent of the governing bodies of all of the parties. 14.2. Records, accounts and reports. The books and records of the Committee shall be subject to the provisions of Minn. Stat. Ch. 13 and Minn. Stat. § 16B.06, subd. 4. 14.3. Counterparts. This agreement may be executed in two or more counterparts, each of which shall be deemed an original, but all of which shall constitute one and the same 7 JPA FOR DAKOTA COUNTY DOMESTIC PREPAREDNESS COMMITTEE instrument. Counterparts shall be filed with the Dakota County Emergency Preparedness Coordinator. IN WITNESS WMREOF, the parties have executed this Agreement on the dates indicated below. 8 JPA FOR DAKOTA COUNTY DOMESTIC PREPAREDNESS COMMITTEE CITY OF MENDOTA HEIGHTS Name Title... ---Adni 4-1) Date of Signature 17 JPA FOR DAKOTA COUNTY DOMESTIC PREPAREDNESS COMMITTEE CERTIFICATE OF COVERAGE STATE OF MINNESOTA Risk Management Division 309 Administration Building 50 Sherburne Avenue St. Paul, MN 55155 (651)201-2593 This is to certify that coverage described below is effective per the statutory authority referenced. This certificate is not a policy or a binder of insurance and does not in anyway alter, amend or extend the coverage afforded by any reference herein. The coverage is subject to all terms and conditions of the statutory authority. STATE AGENCY: Dakota County Location Name (If applicable): Date Issued: January 06, 2006 XX TYPE OF COVERAGE LIMITS XX utomobile Liability $300,000 Bodily Injury & Property Damage - per Person/ X_ Owned, Hired & Non -Owned $1,000,000 Bodily Injury & Property Damage - per Occurrence -X—Automobile Physical Damage (Comp &Collision) $ 1,000 Deductible General Liability $300,000 Bodily Injury & Property Damage - per Person/ $1,000,000 Bodily Injury & Property Damage - per Occurrence Property an PYX in this column means that the coverage is afforded per this certificate and the below. STATUTORY REFERENCES Automobile Liability - Minnesota Statute 65.B Self -Insurance Number is A-1046 as assigned by the MN Department of Commerce General Liability - Minnesota Statutes 3.732 and 3.736. Workers' Compensation - Minnesota Statutes Chapter 176 Sections 5401-611 DATES OF COVERAGE: July 01, 2005 — July 01, 2006 DESCRIPTION OF COVERAGE: Evidence of Insurance as respects the 2005 Freightliner Truck, Vin # 1FVAC5DE351FLJ2260 and the use of this unit as a mem1ber of the Dakota County Domestic Preparedness Joint Powers Agreement. The Certificate Holder is named as an Additional Insured with respect to their interest in this vehicle only. City of Mendota Heights 1101 Victoria Curve Mendota Heights, MN 55118 ISSUED BY: RISK MANAGEMENT DIVISION AUTHORIZED SIGNA TUR CITY OF MENDOTA HEIGHTS p AUOUGtu th2003 TO: Mayor, City [|OUOOjl and City /\drOiOiStF3[D[`^ FROM: Mike Aschenbrener RE: Domestic Preparedness Joint Powers Agreement INTRODUCTION Building OOour strong tradition ofcollaboration and cooperation with our neighboring cities and Dakota Countv, this noarDonandunn addresses our recent efforts to enhance our emergency preparedness planning and response capabilities through the adoption of the attached Joint Powers Agreement. This effort iainkeeping with aState-wide emphasis on the cooperative delivery Vfpublic services tomaximize the effectiveness and efficiency of such services. r 20] 091111! 1 m |D���� September 11 ,public safety agencies throughout the nation were forced to reevaluate their emergency preparedness planning efforts to enhance their abilities to handle future large-scale disasters or emergencies. Here in Dakota Countv, police, fire. ambulance, and public health agencies quicklyCoa|eSCed and agreed that our collective capabilities were in need DfiDlpn3Ve.� gOd embarked OD @ planning process to better ��pana us a|| for handling such �n1�n3enciee. An ad-hoc Dakota County Domestic Preparedness Committee was established in 2001 to coordinate these efforte, and jurisdictions throughout the County were kept up-to-date on the p|8OOiOg efforts through frequent updates to the Dakota CnUOtv City/County AdDliOiS[[@tO[S. the Dakota County Police Chiefs, the Dakota County Fina Chiefs, and the Emergency Medical Services (EK8G) K8UCh Of the effort to date has centered on SeCUhOg State and Federal dollars for eDlBFg9DCy preparedness activities. TO date, nearly $1 DliUiVO has been earmarked for our collective efforts, and additional Homeland Security grants are OOthe horizon. Clearly iti8 in our best interest to cooperatively use these dO|/8[s to not only prepare US for the remote possibility of terroristic attack, but also to enhance our general [eSpOOSe capability to all types oflarge-scale disasters and emergencies. For exmnnpha. the Occupational Health and Safety Administration (OSHA) kbentJkae Seven different disciplines Of neSCU8 which require specialized training and certification to perform. These specialized disciplines relate to rescue activities like hazardous materials neeponee, high angle reooue, confined space rescue, structural collapse rescue, etc. Most Dakota County public safety agencies have some limited training and experience inafew of these disciplines, but to reach the level required by OSHA, additional training is Continuation: Domestic Preparedness Joint Powers Agreement required. The efficient use of emergency preparedness grant dollars will enable uehntrain a team of first responders within Dakota County to handle such emergencies. SUMMARY OF JOINT POWERS AGREEMENT TERMS The Joint Powers Agreement (JPA)being presented for Council consideration calls for the 'joint exercise of the parties' powers to plan for and to respond to the need of first responders for special response operations caused by /he O:tVyrenC9 oflarge-scale OYaaab*yG or emergencies" Prospective parties to the JPA include Dakota County and the 11 largest cities inthe County. Tocarry out the cooperative activities ofthe JPA, the Dakota County Domestic Preparedness Committee would beformally established and each party [othe agreement would have aleast one member onthe Committee. The Committee would be charged with establishing a Special Operations Team with the capability of providing specialized response technical rescue operations for which specific training and equipment are required. The Committee VvVV|d be required to develop an annual budget by April 1st of each year. Dakota County agrees to provide budgeting and accounting services in support of the Committee. The parties agree to cooperatively apply for and utilize grant funds as they are made available for State and Federal sources. Tothe extent that grant funds are not sufficient tosupport the activities of the Committee and the Special Operations Teem, parties to the agreement agree to appropriate funds sufficient to maintain the operations. Parties may choose to withdraw from the JPA with 12 OlVDthS notice to the other parties. The draft JPA has been reviewed by both the City Attorney's office and the Dakota County Attorney's office, and meets with their approval. BUDGET IMPLICATIONS As indicated above, the grant funds available for domestic preparedness activities are significant. In terms of State funding. approximately $488.000 is being made available for activities such as training and equipment. A 2596 match requirement has been imposed by the State as part of the equipment grant and, assuming that all parties approve the JPA. Mendota Heights 2003 budgetary impact m/oV|d be approximately $1.298.00. Looking to the fUtU[e, it is not likely that additional State grant dO||a[S will be available anytime soon given the State's fiscal condition. In terms of Federal grant dollars, itappears that HV0e|8Dd Security dollars will continue to be available for several more years. To date we are set to collectively receive approximately $450,000 in Federal dollars. This does not include an additional 2003 g||OC@tiOO Of approximately $350.000 for which @ funding application is currently being prepared. We have now also learned that Federal dollars targeted at improving radio communications systems may also be in the works. Other budget implications of the JPA for Mendota Heights include any additional training expenses we may incur in training our first responders for domestic preparedness duties. Given the cooperative nature of the Special Operations Team, we envision Continuation: Domestic Preparedness Joint Powers Agreement having only I member from the Police Department and 1 or 2 members from the Fire Department. RECOMMENDATION Based on the information outlined above, it is my recommendation that we participate in the cooperative effort underway within Dakota County to better prepare us for large- scale disasters and emergencies. The opportunity to secure significant grant dollars in support of these activities is an opportunity that should not be missed. Specifically Mendota Heights stands to benefit as follows: Our first responders will be equipped with protective clothing and respirators to better protect them when first approaching scenes of possible chemical release; Participation by I Police Officer and 1-2 Fire Personnel in the County -wide Special Operations Team specifically designed to respond to large-scale disasters and emergencies; Recipient of County -wide Special Operations Team decontamination and rescue/recovery services as circumstances may dictate; Possible future grants funds to assist in upgrading of our public safety communications system. ACTION REQUIRED Should Council concur with the recommendation, a motion should be made to Adopt RESOLUTION NO. 03--, "A RESOLUTION AUTHORIZING MENDOTA HEIGHTS TO ENTER INTO AN AGREEMENT WITH THE PARTICIPATING AGENCIES IN DAKOTA COUNTY FOR DOMESTIC PREPAREDNESS JOINT POWERS AGREEMENT".