Public Safety Minutes 2005 11-10-05 Page 1 of 4
APPROVED 3/9/06
PUBLIC SAFETY COMMITTEE
YORKVILLE CITY HALL CONFERENCE ROOM
Thursday,November 10,2005
Committee Chairman Wanda Ohare called the meeting to order at 6:30 p.m.
Present
Alderwoman Wanda Ohare,Alderman Dean Wolfer and Police Chief Harold Martin.
Visitors
Alderman Joe Besco, Sandra Adams, Jeff Lacey, Dave Maaske and Jim Cox.
1. Minutes for Approval/Correction -- Minutes from the Sept. 8, 2005 meetings were
approved.
2. PS 2005-009—Gift Basket Liquor License
Ohare said there's been a request to the city for a gift basket liquor license. It would
allow businesses such as gift shops to put wine into gift baskets for the holidays. Ohare
said the class of license needs to be determined, as does an application fee. The fee for
packaged beer and wine is $1,000 under the D class license, so it might fall under that
category, Wolfer said.
Ohare suggested city attorney John Wyeth look at it and determine what would be the
appropriate license. The request would go to the Dec. 6 Committee of the Whole
meeting.
3. PS 2005-010 Parking Ordinance
Ohare said the city's parking ordinance was too broad and the city is looking to separate
some of the issues. Two of them are commercial and overnight parking.
Chief Martin said the city would need to get a clear definition of commercial vehicles.
The current definition of commercial vehicles doesn't fit what the committee is seeking
and would be too restrictive.
Resident Sandra Adams who attended the meeting to learn more about the parking issue
said she doesn't have a problem with trucks and trucks with signs on them parked in
driveways. She doesn't want to see big equipment parked on the streets.
The proposed ordinance prohibits overnight parking between the hours of 1 to 6 a.m.,
except on streets that don't have curbs. The ordinance also allows the police department
to temporarily allow parking to a resident if the restriction poses a hardship.
Wolfer said the city needs to be careful as it drafts the ordinance because it doesn't want
to hinder residents who are trying to make a living. He said he likes the idea of people
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being able to park B and D plated vehicles on the side of the house as long as the parking
area is paved or graveled.
The proposed ordinance also allows people to opt out of the ordinance if, for instance,
there's 100 percent agreement among property owners on a street or block to allow the
overnight parking, Ohare said.
Ohare said overnight vehicle parking especially of the larger vehicles is a safety issue.
She said the matter needs to be addressed or it will get worse.
The proposed ordinance will go to the Dec. 6 C.O.W. meeting and the Dec. 13 City
Council meeting.
4. PS 2005-011 Skateboard and Motorized Scooters
Ohare said this is the first time it has come to the Public Safety meeting, but it's
something that really needs to be addressed.
Chief Martin said he'd like for the city attorney to draft a proposed ordinance governing
the rules of skateboards and motorized scooters and bring it back to the committee. He
said he doesn't want either allowed on the city's streets.
The issue will be brought back to the committee once a proposed ordinance is drafted.
5. Heartland Circle Construction Traffic
Wolfer said the Public Works Committee discussed the issue of construction traffic along
Spring Street traveling too fast. City Engineer posed a question to the committee
wondering whether the construction traffic restriction on Spring Street should be lifted
since a substantial portion of the public infrastructure in Heartland Circle is done. The
city has received several requests from residents on Heartland to stop the detour of
construction traffic through their streets.
On the topic of speed, Chief Martin said his department could put out tubes to determine
the rate of speed. He also said that sometimes there's a perception that vehicles are going
faster than they actually are. Either way,he said the issue would be addressed. Chief
Martin said he would bring back the results of the speed study.
Alderman Joe Besco, chairman of the Public Works Committee, said the agreement in the
PUD is to reroute traffic through Heartland until the build out of the subdivision is
complete. The complete build out is defined as when the housing is complete. The
provision was agreed to as a way to protect resident that already lived in the community
when the Heartland development was made. He said he's told people from Heartland and
residents of Spring Street that the city won't go back on its word.
Meanwhile Chief Martin said he'd bring the results of the speed study back to the
committee.
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6. PS 2005-003 Bruell Street Emergency Weather Warning Siren Update
Chief Martin said the city is purchasing a refurbished weather siren to put up near Bruell
Street. The siren would serve the residents of Heartland Circle and some other areas not
already covered. Previously, the city couldn't get power to the area. But now that the lift
station is in,the city has the ability, Chief Martin said.
Ohare said the ultimate goal is to have warning sirens to cover the whole town.
7. PS 2005-005 Cadet Program Update
Chief Martin reported the cadet program is going well. The cadet recently started his
second session of classes. So far, he said the cadet is a straight A student, works 20 hours
a week for the police department and is doing a great job. An evaluation will be brought
to the Public Safety meeting in January.
The cadet will be with the department for two years. Wolfer said he'd like to the police
department to interview another candidate so that when this one leaves, another cadet
could be hired. Ohare agreed saying the police department needs to report that the
program is going well so that it can be added to the city's budget.
8. PS 2005-001 Police Reports for September and October 2005
Chief Martin said the department has cut back on the number of miles driven in light of
gas price increases. Instead,the offices do a 15-minute walk of their area every hour. It's
worked out well,he said.
Ohare commented that the officers continue to complete a lot of training hours,which she
is glad to see.
Chief Martin also said two city officials have completed and passed the NIMS
compliance test online. The rest of the city officials also need to take the test. Ohare said
she would put a memo in everyone's box.
9. PS 2005-002 Request Approval to use $1,000 in CPAT Funds for Regional Air
Support Service
Chief Martin said the chief from the Countryside Police Department has put together a
regional air support program. A helicopter was donated to the program, but it doesn't
have any federal funding. The Countryside chief is asking as many communities as
possible to support the program through a$1,000 one-time donation. The Public Safety
Committee would need to approve the donation to come out of CPAT funds.
Ohare said it's a very good service. The city never knows when a helicopter might need
to be called in. However, she said she needs more information.
The matter will come back to the committee at the Dec. 8 meeting.
10. Grande Reserve Weather Warning Siren Update
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Chief Martins said the developers of Grande Reserve are in the process of installing the
warning siren as per the agreement with the city.
11. PS 2005-06 Business Registration
Ohare said there's nothing in the packet on the issue. Chief Martin said the city attorney
still needs to finish the ordinance. The matter will be brought to the Dec. 8 meeting.
12. False Alarm Ordinance
Chief Martin said the ordinance is in place and the department hasn't received any
negative feedback.
He added the city attorney is working on a form letter to mail to repeat offenders.
13. 2005-008 Liquor License Application
Chief Martin said the city attorney just finished the new application form. He said it's
more condensed and has the additional information Ohare requested. Ohare said she had
a chance to look at it and thought it looked good. Chief Martin said he needs the Public
Safety Committee's approval. Ohare said she'd ask Wyeth if a consensus vote would be
okay. She could then call all of the members who weren't at the meeting to get their
votes.
14. Additional Business
Chief Martin said the Public Works Administrator Eric Dhuse hasn't devised a way to
cover the air conditioning units to help damage in case of a chemical attack. Dhuse is
concerned any type of covering generating heat and hampering the circulation of air.
The meeting adjourned at 7:40 p.m.
Submitted by Dina Gipe