_04142026-319

1 City of Plymouth Police and Fire Commission Meeting Tuesday, April 14, 2026 @ 8:30 A.M. Room 210 Plymouth City Hall, 128 Smith Street, Plymouth, WI 53073 Members Present: President Mark Melcher, Vice President James Flanagan, Secretary Warren Wieser, Gary Rooker, Tim Lemkuil, Police Chief Ken Ruggles, Deputy Police Chief Matt Starker, Co-acting Fire Chiefs Michael Birscbach (Phone). Call to Order: President Mark Melcher, called the meeting to order at 8:30 A.M. in Room 210 @ City Hall, located at 128 Smith Street, Plymouth, Wisconsin. Person’s desire to be heard before the Commission: None. Consideration and approval of minutes: A motion made by James Flanagan and second by Gary Rooker to approve the Police and Fire Commission meeting minutes of April 2, 2026. Motion carried. Report from Police Chief Ken Ruggles 1 – Deputy Police Chief, Starker updated commission members on Police department training efforts and his own attendance at various training courses. This included K9 training, drone training, live fire training, and many others. 2 - Deputy Police Chief Starker showed an updated City Of Plymouth Emergency plan. The emergency plan is by department, i.e., Plymouth Utilities, Public Library, Plymouth City Hall, etc. The old emergency services plan from 2006. 3 - Police Chief Ruggles reported he has had phone conservation with newly hired Fire Chief, James Klug. 4 – Police Chief explained newly hired Fire Chief, James Klug has exchanged emails with Co-acting Fire Chiefs, Mike Birschbach, and Jason McCoy. 5 – Police Chief Ruggles reported new hired Plymouth Police Department assistant, Sandy, is working well. 2 6 – Police Chief Ruggles updated commission members on two different investigations with sex offenders moving into the community and may not be following city ordinances. 7– Police Chief Ruggles explained to commission members a new software using smart phone scheduling of staffing, vacations, and many others related areas. This makes good use of smart phone technology and will eliminate old in-house systems, and paper calendars. 8 – Police Chief Ruggles explained to commission continuing communications issues with District Attorney’s Office in Sheboygan. District Attorney’s Office has been not responsive and appear to turn down good city of Plymouth policing efforts and reporting of those efforts. This is not a new problem. Review of Police Department staffing and the survey being distributed to city residents: Police Chief Ruggles handed out to commission members a Police Department Staffing Plan that he prepared for Tim Blaseslee, City Administrator. Since time was of essence, limited discussion at this time. This will be an agenda item at future meetings. Update - Police Department grievance: Pollice Chief Ruggles explained an ongoing grievance. This grievance is with the Police Union and the city of Plymouth. The grievance is the allocation of overtime within the City of Police Department. Chief Ruggles explained that City Administrator, Tim Blakese, agrees with Police Chief position. As of now, this grievance is going to move to arbitration. Discussion on Fire Department promotional process and open position: This was lengthy discussion between Co acting Fire chief Birschbach, Police chief Ruggles and commissions members. After good discussion, it was decided this issue will be dealt with by new Fire Chief, James Klug, and commission members. This will be future agenda item. Report from Co Acting Fire Cief – Mike Birschbach. 1 – Co-acting Fire Chief Birschbach is still waiting to hear from newest candidate to be interviewed by Police and Fire Commission members. Tentative interview date is still April 22, 2026, but needs to be confirmed. 2 - Co-acting Fire Chief Birschbach provided an update to commission members on the Co-acting Chiefs decision to start the enforcement of an established Fire Department policy that requires minimum attendance at fire department meetings. This was brought to the attention of the Police and Fire Commission 3 on January 6, 2026, meeting. This required difficult conservations with some members who are not meeting the minimum requirements. In summary, it is anticipated that at least 4 and maybe six will retire or make a decision that cannot meet the minimum requirements. This is a minimum six-month effort to bring fire department members in compliance with minimum requirements policy to be a member of Plymouth Fire Department. 3 - Co-acting Fire chief Birschbach reported that recent interview candidate, Chloe, is waiting for doctor approval before she can go on board with the fire department. 4 – Co-acting Fire Chief Birschbach reported all fire equipment out for repair should be returned next week. 5 – Co-acting Fire Chief Birschbach is starting an initial budget in anticipation of new Fire Chief, James Klug, arriving in early June 2026. 6 – Co-acting Fire Chief Birschbach continued a previous meeting discussion on future organizational officer structure. This will be an ongoing process and will be part of new fire chief input. Adjourn: President, Mark Melcher asked for a motion to adjourn. Motion for adjournment at 9:51 A.M.by Tim Lemkuil and second by Warren Wieser. Motion carried. Submitted on the Fourteenth of April 2026. Warren Wieser--- Secretary