PRESENT: Chair: Ryan. Members: Carsky, Kaplowitz, Mosiello, Swanson, Wishnie. Staff: Emilia Vita.

The meeting was called to order at 9:05 a.m., by Chairman Ryan.

The minutes of March 2, 1998, were approved on the motion of Legislator Swanson, seconded by Legislator Wishnie. Motion carried 6-0.

Mr. Ryan asked if there were any further changes to the Committee Blueprint before the members voted on the workplan. Mr. Kaplowitz requested that the E911 and 311 emergency numbers be added as an item under the topic of Disaster and Emergency Management. Mr. Wishnie moved to adopt the Bluepint as amended. The motion was seconded by Mr. Kaplowitz. All members voted in favor; motion carried 6-0. A copy the Committee Blueprint 1998 will be forwarded to Board Chairman Latimer.

Mr. Ryan appointed Mr Wishnie as Chairman of the Sub Committee on Communications and Centralized Dispatch. For nearly two months, the Committee has been gathering information on the mutual aid fire protection system and the delivery of emergency services in the county. It has become clear that radio communication between the county and the various fire departments, radio communication among the departments and other emergency service agencies at the scene of a fire, and the workings of the computer aided dispatch (CAD) system are areas that require Committee attention.

The PSCJ Committee meeting at "60 Control," planned for March 24, is cancelled as Walter Groden will not be available on that date. Members tentatively rescheduled the meeting for Friday, March 27th at 9:30 a.m. This will be confirmed with Mr. Groden and all members will be notified.

Events scheduled for Monday, March 16 (Westchester County Association Breakfast, 8-9:30 a.m.) and Monday, March 23 (Board of Legislators meeting. 10 a.m.), require the rescheduling of the PSCJ Committee meetings usually held at 9 a.m.. The next two regular meetings of the Committee are re-scheduled as follows:

Relative to the test conducted on Tuesday, March 3 of the Indian Point siren alarm system, Mr. Ryan said he asked the County Executive’s office be represented at today’s Committee meeting for the purpose of discussing the reasons for the delay of 10 to 15 minutes in the test sounding of the alarms. The siren alarm system is designed to alert residents in Westchester, Rockland, Putnam and Orange Counties of problems at the nuclear power plants situated in the Village of Buchanan. Either Deputy County Exective, Mr. Jay Hashmall, or Liam Murphy, acting director of the County Office of Disaster and Emergency Management Services, were to be present, however, the flooding this morning on area roadways has delayed their arrival and their appearance before the Committee will be rescheduled for next week.

Mr. Kaplowitz said he is waiting for information from Norman Jacknis, the County’s Information Officer, regarding what is available to the County to establish a centralized critical telephone number (311) for County residents. He said the 311 call, unlike a E911 call, does not require an immediate response. A 311 call is important, but not as critical as an E911 call.

Legislator Swanson asked that her agenda referrals (Items A. B. C. D), all relating to various fires services, be reviewed a soon as possible. Mr. Ryan indicated that these topics will likely be handled by a PSCJ sub-committee.

Relative to fire protection on the County Reservation, Legislator Wishnie stated that the new Westchester Health Care Corp. would have to provide their own fire coverage for the medical center as other county employees (usually DPW staff providing firefighter services on the reservation) could no longer be used to provide fire protection services to the Public Benefit Corporation.

Mr. Wishnie reported that the same company is providing software to Westchester for the CAD (computer aided dispatch) System and to New York City for use in their dispatch system. NYC is experiencing system problems similar to ours. For more than three years, the company has failed to fix the the County’s system. It is hoped with the added clout of NYC, the problems in the software will be fixed. Mr. Wishnie pointed out that not all communities have installed the computer equipment.

Copies of Referral Item E (Protection of Correctional Employees & Prohibition of Prison Privatizatiion), and Item F (Parole Reform), will of this item will be forwarded to Commissioner Pozzi for his review and comment. These topics will be schedules for discussion at a future meeting.

The meeting adjourned at 9:55 a.m. on the motion of Legislator Wishnie, seconded by Legislator Mosiello.