2023-07-25 CC Meeting Minutes SpecialMOUND CITY COUNCIL MINUTES
July 25, 2023
The City Council of the City of Mound, Hennepin County, Minnesota, met in special session on
Tuesday, July 25, 2023, at 6:00 p.m. in the Council Chambers of the Centennial Building.
Members present: Mayor Jason Holt; Council Members Sherrie Pugh, Paula Larson, Kathy
McEnaney, Kevin Castellano
Members absent: None
Others present: City Manager Eric Hoversten, City Clerk Kevin Kelly, Finance Director Noah
Iverson, Fire Department Administrative Assistant Vickie Webber, Assistant Chief Andy Drilling,
Assistant Chief Greg Palm, Assistant Chief Matt Jakubik, Assistant Chief Mike McCarville, Fire
Fighter Saul Calderon, Fire Fighter Steve Henkels and Battalion Chief Bryan Gorman.
1. Open meeting
Mayor Holt called the meeting to order at 6:01 p.m.
2. Approve the agenda
Motion by Castellano, seconded by Pugh, to approve the agenda. All voted in favor. Motion
carried.
3. Tour and familiarization of the Emergency Operations Command Center
Hoversten said the third floor of the Mound Fire Department (MFD) training room will be the
Emergency Operations Command Center (EOC) which will support the on -scene responders to
an emergency in the City.
Hoversten said MFD Chief is not present today but has a team of trained professionals who are
present who can lead the City in an emergency situation if Chief Peterson is not present.
Hoversten said the Fire Department staff and City staff would be present to take shifts if there is
need for a 24/7 response to an emergency situation.
Andy Drilling said the City follows the National Incident Management System (NIMS) model to
respond to all incidents within the City. Drilling said the model can be expanded and contracted
to meet the scope of the incident being responded to and all have an Incident Commander
assigned.
Drilling detailed the following areas:
• Incident Command takes responsibility over incidents at the scene until command is
transferred to a higher ranked officer. Drilling added command is turned over to the
EOC in a significant emergency.
Operations — This is the staff out in the field during the incident. Operations emphasize
the following in order of importance:
o Life Safety
o Incident Stabilization
o Property Conservation
o Community Continuity
Division Member Operation Tree includes:
o Orono Police Department
Mound City Council Minutes —July 25, 2023
o Mound Fire Department
o Emergency Management
o Mound Public Works
• Planning - the focus of this area is gathering and assimilating information. The
assessment includes situation status and resource status and whether there is a need to modify
plans. Planning includes resource distribution
Logistics provide facilities, services and supplies for on -scene support
Finance is responsible for all costs, claims and legalities
Drilling presented an emergency scenario for July 25, 2023 in which the City experiences a
tornado event which traveled from Minnetrista across the City causing fatalities, many injuries
and extensive property damage. Drilling said the tornado entered the City along a path from the
west following Bartlett Blvd. over Cooks Bay and then east/northeast over land and dissipating
into West Arm Bay. Drilling said the MFD is called to respond to the event and establishes the
EOC. Drilling said City Public Works staff begins its assessment and response and clears
damage and downed trees blocking access.
Drilling said after search and rescue has been completed and utility services are on scene the
EOC will undergo a shift change with the suspension of on -scene activity until morning.
Drilling spoke to the roles and responsibilities of the City Council during a significant incident:
• Providing Crisis Leadership is the most important role for City officials who are tasked
with:
o Delegating to emergency staff in order for trained professionals to respond to the
incident
o Instilling confidence in the public that the incident is being managed effectively
o Making Policy Decisions and securing needed resources and establishing
partnerships and alliances with other jurisdictions
o State of Emergency Declaration made
Drilling said the Council is not responsible for setting tactical operations but to delegate
emergency response to qualified emergency personnel
Drilling said the Mayor is responsible for activating the EOC which then starts:
o The Recovery Phase
o Helps to Prioritize Tasks
o Establishes Action Plan for future time intervals such as first eight, 24 or 48 hours during
the incident
Drilling said the Council policy decisions will address:
• Who or what will be helped first in the recovery effort; businesses or citizens?
• Will a curfew be imposed?
• Are there any areas where access will be restricted?
• How should critical resources and infrastructure be protected?
Drilling said the public is often overwhelmed during an incident and another responsibility of the
Council is to keep the public informed with accurate, consistent and timely information. The
Mound City Council Minutes —July 25, 2023
focus is on the immediate needs of the population and to build confidence in the recovery
response of the City.
Drilling said the Council can form a Joint Information Center with other jurisdictions to make
sure the City is speaking with one voice if more than one city is also involved in the incident.
Drilling outlined what constitutes a good press conference.
o A Public Information Officer providing regular updates on the recovery
o Get in front of and inform the media when information updates will occur
o Provide factual information and read from a prepared statement
Mayor Holt read a prepared statement flanked by other EOC personnel to practice this role.
Hoversten said sharing factual information with the media is important as it provides information
to residents to begin the recovery.
Drilling said the EOC can also be established in the basement of City Hall which is dependent
on the best course of action from each particular incident.
4. Adjourn
MOTION by Larson, seconded by Pugh, to adjourn at 6:53 p.m. All voted in favor. Motion
carried.
Mayor Jason R. Holt
Attest: Kevin Kelly, Clerk