State All-Hazards Advisory Committee Meeting Minutes
September 10, 2004/Parker FD Training Center
Meeting Minutes
SAHAC Chair Kathay Rennels called the meeting to order and self-introductions were made at central meeting location and by teleconference from locations in Durango and Grand Junction. Barb Kirkmeyer (DOLA) gave an overview of the mission of SAHAC with respect to policy direction and information transfer (region-to-region and region-to-state) and outlined the role of the State Agency Coordination Team in implementing SAHAC policy recommendations.
Old Business
The floor was opened for final discussion of SAHAC bylaws. Members verified the list of discipline organizations (Appendix “A”) and discussed voting versus non-voting status for RETACs and the Ute Mountain Ute and Southern Ute Indian Tribes.
Although it was recognized that each RETAC deals with a different set of issues, Nancy Falleur (SW RETAC) and Theresa Atencio (SLV RETAC) requested that bylaws be revised to add a RETAC representative as a voting member with one vote on behalf of all 11 RETACs. A motion to that effect was made and, before a vote was taken, discussion continued concerning voting member status for the Tribes. Arguments citing tribal sovereignty were presented by DeWitt Baker (Southern Ute Indian Tribe) and Patricia Gavelda (CDEM) against a decision made at the previous meeting to give each Tribe non-voting member status.
George Epp (Vice-Chair/County Sheriffs of Colorado, Inc.) offered a substitute motion to add RETACs and the Tribes as voting members with one vote each for the Southern Ute Indian Tribe, the Ute Mountain Ute Indian Tribe, and the RETACs. The motion was seconded and approved by acclamation. Nancy Falleur was selected as the RETAC representative, DeWitt Baker as the Southern Ute Indian Tribe representative and, pending discussions with Tribal leadership, David Wiley as the Ute Mountain Ute Tribe representative. David Wiley requested a presentation from a SAHAC representative for Ute Mountain Ute Tribe officials.
Training Topic
Mark Estock (CDPHE) delivered a slide presentation on the status of current CDPHE grants and program activities and discussed state-level planning efforts related to medical surge capacity and mass casualty incident response. Steve Douglas (South Region) identified a need for a state-developed template for surge-hospital operations (space, logistics, set-up) and state guidelines regarding their staffing, including medical administrative personnel.
Regional Updates
Regional representatives reported progress in spending down 2003 DHS equipment grant funds and that the focus was shifting to preliminary discussions on 2005 grant priorities. Representatives reported on an active period of exercise activity, including exercises in Baca County, Conejos County, Costilla County, El Paso County, Kiowa County, Lake County, Montrose County and Pueblo County. Five new Regional Homeland Security Coordinators were introduced: Jeff Babcock (SLV), Cindy Corsaro (SC), Clint Goldenstein (NE), Gale Holderman (South) and JoAnn Stone (West).
State Agency Updates
Tommy Grier (CDEM) reported that 2004 DHS grant award letters and remaining DHS grant award letters for FY 2003 were scheduled to be released during the week of September 13-17, following the transfer of SAA authority and related grant funds from DPS to DOLA. Rob Fiedler (Delta County) requested that the draft State Homeland Security Strategy be made available as soon as possible, so that local governments and regional advisory boards can begin to identify possible projects for funding in the 2005 grant cycle.
Recommendations for future meeting agenda topics were discussed and communications, including the status of local and state efforts to address interoperability issues, was suggested as the main training topic for the November meeting.