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Public Safety Committee Minutes 2006 03-09-06 Page 1 of 4 Approved 4-13-06 PUBLIC SAFETY COMMITTEE YORKVILLE CITY HALL CONFERENCE ROOM Thursday, March 9, 2006 Committee Chairman Rose Spears called the meeting to order at 6:30 p.m. Present Alderwoman Rose Spears,Aldennen Dean Wolfer, Jason Leslie and Jim Bock, and Police Chief Harold Martin. Guests Mayor Art Prochaska and Heather Gillers from the Beacon News, 1. Minutes for Approval/Correction —Minutes from the Nov. 10, 2005 meeting were approved. However the minute taker's name needs to be added to the minutes. Minutes from the Jan. 12 and Feb. 9, 2006 meetings were approved without revision. 2. PS 2006-09—Police Reports for February 2006 Police Chief Harold Martin said the department is on track as for as overtime for a department of its size. He said the department cut back significantly on overtime when it went to 12-hour shifts. Chairman Spears noted increases in sex offenses and the number of uninsured motorists. There was one reported sex offense in 2005, yet in 2006, there already have been six, she said. Chief Martin said most of the cases have been domestic issues. Likewise, Spears noted the number of tickets for uninsured motorists was 437 in 2005 and already there have been 116 tickets issued in 2006. Mayor Art Prochaska said the volume of tickets for that offense isn't a reflection on Yorkville. Most of the tickets issues are to people who live in other,comrmunities. The committee agreed to move the February Police Report to the Committee of the Whole to be placed on the consent agenda. 3. PW 2005-16 Heartland Circle Construction Traffic The committee revisited the issue as to whether construction traffic should be rerouted from Heartland Circle to Spring Street. Spears said when the issue was last discussed the committee wanted to see the original agreement. There was a lot of controversy when the Heartland Circle development was proposed to the city and the city tried to please the developer and current residents on Spring Street by coming up with the traffic agreement. She said the understanding is that the construction traffic would be routed through Heartland until construction of Heartland Circle was complete. However, the developer was under the impression that as long as most of the construction was completed, the Spring Street ban could be lifted, she said. Page 2 of 4 Wolfer said the Public Works Committee looked at the issue and voted to honor the original agreement. Spears said she agrees with that decision and said the city should stick to the original agreement. The committee agreed. It was decided to have the city attorney draft a letter to inform the homeowner's association about the decision of the two committees. Mayor Prochaska asked to discuss the handicapped parking update and the smoking ban issue before he had to leave. The agenda was changed to discuss those items. 4. Handicapped Parking Update Chief Martin said signs have been ordered to post the new $250 fines for parking in handicapped parking spots. Mayor Prochaska said the city should make sure the signs are clearly posted in the proper places. T'he Public Safety Committee agreed there would be a zero-tolerance policy and that all offenders would receive a fine rather than a warning, Additional Business Mayor Prochaska said the city might start looking into smoking bans for restaurants and taverns, but that the city would need to move very cautiously on the issue. Leslie said the city would need to look into what control it might have over the issue. He said it might be something home-rule communities can do easier. The committee decided to explore the issue more fully next month. 5. PC 2005-13 Countryside Parkway—Address Changes Because the center of the city is shifting, Countryside Parkway isn't the divider and for public safety issues, the addresses of those who live or operate businesses on that road would have to change. Chief'Martin said it isn't a public safety issue yet, but it could be in five to 10 years. He said it would be nice to get the addresses changed, yet he understands it would be a burden for those who live or own businesses on the road. It also would be a financial burden for the city,which would incur the costs of the address changes. About four homes and a medical building would be affected. Spears said she'd like to meet with the individuals that would be affected to get thew opinions. She also would like to know what the actual cost to the city would be. For now, the committee decided to send the matter back to the Public Works Committee to get a checklist on what would be involved and get a more definite idea of the potential cost. 6. PS 2006-10 Swanson Lane Estates—Address Changes Chief Martin said he didn't have any information other than what was in the letter. He said he'd need more information before he made a recommendation. The letter came from the city's engineering assistant Jennifer Fischer stating that there are two existing homes in the Swanson Lane Estates Subdivision. The letter suggested that the addresses of those two homes be changed to a number and name consistent with the other homes Page 3 of 4 surrounding them. The letter asked that the item be discussed at the Public Safety meeting. Chief Martin said he would get more information and the matter might go to Public Works before it came back to Public Safety. Spears suggested that the developer pay for the costs of changing the addresses, not the city. 7. PS 2006-11 Request for Out of State Conference Chief Martin said the request comes from Officer Jon Helland, the school resource officer, to attend the National Association of School Resource Officers conference in Pal Springs, California, Martin said the conference would be beneficial and he recommended the request be approved. The committee agreed to approve the request. Also, Spears suggested the officer rent a larger car for the trip. The committee agreed to upgrade the car in a unanimous roll call vote. Leslie, Wolfer, Bock and Spears all voted yes. 8. PS 2006-12 Records Request Fee Schedule Chief Martin requested the police department be allowed to charge fees for those who request certain records. He said the fees are in range with what other police departments charge. The committee agreed to the fee schedule. Spears also suggested the fees be posted so residents know what they are. 9. PS 2006-13 Request to Purchase— Squad care DVD recording server Chief Martin said the department would like to purchase a DVD recording server to store DVD recordings and improve on the system it already has. Right now, the only way the department has to back up the DVD is to burn the recordings. A bid for the server was submitted by Software Performance Specialists, Inc. for$9,858. Spears said this particular request doesn't have to go out for bid, but she suggested that in the future, the department seek competitive bids. The committee agreed to move forward with the purchase. 10. PS 2006-14 Budget Request—Policing Software—Fiscal Year 06/07 Chief said if there's any money left in the budget, he requests that the purchase of New World Software be a priority. In the request, the chief noted the purchase of the software would allow Yorkville officers and records to share information such as names, histories and cases with other departments, Also, with the system, record keeping and retrieval would be more productive. Spears agreed that the purchase of the system is very important and yet it keeps getting placed on the back burner. She said she would be in favor of approaching the city council about adopting a public safety fee or finding other means to fund the purchase. Chief Martin said he would keep the conmrittee updated on ways to finance the purchase. Page 4 of 4 11. PS 2005-11 Skate Boards and Motorized Scooters Update Wolfer said he would get infonnation from other communities and bring the issue back to the committee. 12. Overnight Parking Update Chief Martin said the department is working on the appropriate forms to correspond with the ordinance. He says the ordinance states that 100 percent of residents on a cul-de-sac would have to give their approval for a cul-de-sac opt out petition. However Spears mentioned maybe an 80 percent approval would be more appropriate. Chief Martin said he hasn't issued tickets to people that are in difficult situations and are trying to work with the city. The committee agreed to recommend changing the ordinance to 80 percent approval. Spears also said that the city should have a petition for overnight parking. Chief Martin said that in some cases if a hardship is determined the city would allow overnight parking for up to a year. 13. Additional Business *Wolfer said he's continuing to work on bringing a 9-1-1 camp to Yorkville. *Spears said Mayor Prochaska asked the committee to look at limiting the number of stores that can sell liquor. She said that issue would be discussed next month. '" Chief Martin said the department is continuing to work on a business registration form. The meeting adjourned at 8:30 p.m. Minutes respectfully submitted by Dina Gipe