ORDINANCE NO. BL2016-237

An Ordinance amending Title 2 of the Metropolitan Code to create the Department of Emergency Communications.

WHEREAS, prior to August, 2002, the function of receiving emergency telephone calls and dispatching appropriate response personnel was divided between the Metropolitan Police Department, the Metropolitan Fire Department, and the Mayor’s Office of Emergency Management; and,

WHEREAS, pursuant to an audit report issued on April 20, 2001, it was determined that the operation of the emergency call system could be improved; and,

WHEREAS, Mayor Bill Purcell appointed a task force with representatives from the Police Department, Fire Department, Department of Personnel, Finance Department, Information Systems Department of General Services, Office of Emergency Management, and the Department of Law to develop a plan to implement the Audit Report’s recommendations; and,

WHEREAS, the task force recommended that the Metropolitan Government consolidate its emergency call-taking and dispatching function; and,

WHEREAS, pursuant to a Memorandum of Understanding that was entered into on August 28, 2002, by and between the Metropolitan Mayor, the Police Department, Fire Department, the Mayor’s Office of Emergency Management, the Department of General Services, Finance Department, and Department of Personnel, a consolidated Emergency Communications Center was created; and,

WHEREAS, the Emergency Communications Center that was created operated under the management of the Emergency Communications Board which was comprised of the Chief of Police, the Fire Chief, and the Director of the Office of Emergency Management; and,

WHEREAS, although the Emergency Communications Center has operated successfully since that date, a determination has been made that a more efficient operation would be realized if the Center was established as stand-alone department, under the direction of a single appointing authority.

NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT ENACTED BY THE COUNCIL OF THE METROPOLITAN GOVERNMENT OF NASHVILLE AND DAVIDSON COUNTY:

Section 1. Title 2 of the Metropolitan Code is hereby amended by adding the following new Chapter 2.30 entitled “Department of Emergency Communications”:

Chapter 2.30 Department of Emergency Communications.

2.30.010 Department established.

There is hereby created the Department of Emergency Communications, a department of the Metropolitan Government of Nashville and Davidson County. The Department of Emergency Communications shall consist of a Director, who is in the classified service and appointed by the Mayor, as well as such other employees as may be deemed necessary, who shall also be in the classified service. All employees shall be subject to the rules and regulations of the Civil Service Commission of the Metropolitan Government.

2.30.020 Duties.

The primary function of the Department of Emergency Communications shall be the receiving of emergency telephone calls and the dispatching of appropriate personnel to best respond to the emergency at hand. It shall be the responsibility of the Department to develop and implement an emergency service plan that is current with national best practices in the field of emergency dispatching.

2.30.030 Director – Powers and duties.

The Director shall be responsible for the management of the Department of Emergency Communications. The Director shall supervise all employees of the Department and will be the appointing authority of the Department.

2.30.040 Personnel.

All employees in the Department of Emergency Communications shall be in the classified service and shall have the salary and employee benefits provided by the pay plan and employment benefit system of the Metropolitan Government.

Section 2. Any current employee of the Emergency Communications Center who was initially assigned to the Emergency Communications Center from the Metropolitan Police Department or Fire Department, was a sworn member of the Metropolitan Police or Fire Department, and who is a current member of the Metropolitan Police and Fire Pension System, shall be assigned to the Department of Emergency Communications and will work under the supervision of the Director. Any such employee, however, shall retain employment status with his/her assigning department. If such an employee is subsequently promoted to a higher classification within the Department of Emergency Communications, all remaining connection with the Police or Fire Department will be severed and the individual will be transferred to the Department of Emergency Communications.

All other employees currently working for the Emergency Communications Center shall be transferred to the new Department of Emergency Communications pursuant to civil service rules. These transferred employees and all new employees hired after the effective date of this ordinance shall be considered as employees of the Department of Emergency Communications.

Section 3. That this Ordinance shall take effect from and after its final passage, the welfare of The Metropolitan Government of Nashville and Davidson County requiring it.

Sponsored by: Bill Pridemore, Kathleen Murphy, Doug Pardue

LEGISLATIVE HISTORY
Introduced:	May 17, 2016
Passed First Reading:	May 17, 2016
Referred to:	Budget & Finance Committee Personnel, Public Information, Human Relations, and Housing Committee Public Safety, Beer, and Regulated Beverages Committee
Passed Second Reading:	June 7, 2016
Passed Third Reading:	June 21, 2016
Approved:	June 22, 2016
By: